The manufacturing world is not only highly competitive, it is often extremely complicated. Deals are done globally, but cultures and countries are very different and what drives one market might not even feature in another.
The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) has criticised the short timetable being proposed before the Default Retirement Age is phased out in the UK from April 2011, which it believes will give manufacturers insufficient time to prepare for such an important change.
British manufacturing output and orders expanded at their fastest pace in 15 years in the second quarter, but worries about fiscal tightening and the euro zone economy have clouded expectations.
The Engineering Employers Federation (EFF) and other business leaders are urging Alistair Darling to help manufacturers prepare for a recovery from the recession by using the Budget
The Engineering Employers' Federation said half of the companies it polled from January 29 to February 18 reported availability of new credit had fallen, compared with 39 percent who said the same in