Manufacturer product sales continue to grow

The intermediate estimate of the value of UK manufacturers' product sales in 2013 was £354.5 billion, a 3.7% increase on the final 2012 estimate of £ 342.0 billion. The ONS revealed that the divisions that drove most growth in the value of product sales were the manufacture of motor vehicles, other transport equipment and food products. The product with the largest value of sales in 2013 was motor vehicles with a medium or large petrol engine at £13.8 billion. Products with high manufacturers' sales value for 2013 include both petrol and diesel motor vehicles, beer, soft drinks and the manufacture of parts for all types of aircraft, for civil use. The industry which contributed most to manufacturing sales growth between 2012 and 2013 was the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers. The UK contributed between 5% and 10% of total EU manufacturers' product sales in 2012, behind Germany, France and Italy.