Exporting is vital for the prosperity of UK-based manufacturers but the recession has been tough on both industry and exporters. As world trade flows declined sharply, companies’ sales followed. Diversity has helped many manufacturers through the worst – companies that are involved in a broader range of markets have been buffered to some degree from difficult economic conditions. Growing exposure to export markets over the past decade has not only helped companies survive the recession but has also contributed to improved productivity, which has been of benefit to the wider economy.
The recession has clearly been a significant obstacle and our survey examines how it has affected exports, what companies have done to adapt and what they expect to happen as the world emerges from it.
You can download a copy of our survey Rethinking Growth - building blocks of an export led recovery using the link on the right hand side.