The CIA gathers industry insights through a quarterly business survey to advocate for our members’ interests with policy makers, regulators and other stakeholders.
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The CIA is proud to announce the launch of the new Sustainable Health Metrics Tool.
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The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is fundamental to modern society. With an immense variety of products, from vital medicines and foods, the construction of buildings, to transport and leisure, the industry truly does have an impact on virtually every aspect of our daily lives.
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Our economic report has two sections. The first part is a CIA analysis of government statistical data, this section assesses the UK chemical industry’s performance against that of the wider economy. The second section presents the results and further analysis of our quarterly industry survey. Our Q1 2024 Business Survey took place between the 8th and the 19th of April and it received entries from 50 chemical companies.
Q1 2024 was the first quarter of expansion in 18 months. Sales, production levels, and capacity utilisation expanded for 50% of respondents and were all above expectations made in Q4 2023. Slower moving variables remain in contractionary territory especially employment which is expected to continue to decrease by 28% of respondents. The Red Sea crisis has impacted the cost of trading as all respondents reported them to have increased or remained the same since Q4 2023.
Better operating conditions are expected to continue through Q2 as over 50% of respondents expect higher sales, and 40% higher production levels, new orders, and capacity utilisation. Further contractions are expected for slower-moving variables, especially employee numbers, likely due to the production capacity lost during the past two years. The cost of trade is not expected to decrease and neither are raw materials prices. Expectations over the next 12 months are also optimistic despite ambiguity regarding employee numbers which are expected to decrease by a quarter of respondents and another quarter expected them to increase.
The main three challenges this quarter were ‘weakening demand’, ‘ labour cost increases’, and ‘raw material price increases’. Labour, raw material, and freight-related issues are expected to worsen in the short term, whilst energy to further stabilise.
At the CIA we undertake a quarterly business survey of our membership to identify arising trends, gather consensus and evaluate industry feel regarding arising issues to communicate with government and the media on operating conditions for chemical manufacturers across the quarter.
Results from the business survey are discussed in the quarterly economic report. The data collected, and official data provided by the Office for National Statistics, is presented back to members for further analysis. A comprehensive economic report is then published, looking in detail at the topics discussed by members, in addition to the economic performance of the prior quarter and forecasts for the future.
For more information contact CIA Economist Michela Borra at borram@cia.org.uk
The second quarter brought additional strain to chemical producers as more contractions in sales were reported. Most respondents experienced a decrease in input and energy costs from the previous quarter, but output prices also decreased.
