Manufacturers’ product sales rise
UK manufacturers' product sales were worth £341.7 billion in 2012, according to the latest estimate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This represented an increase of 1% (£3.7bn) over the previous year.
The ONS said: "This increase is a continuation of the recovery in manufacturers' values of sales seen between 2009 and 2011."
It added: "Industries driving the growth in UK manufacturing sales between 2011 and 2012 were the manufacture of food products, the manufacture of transport equipment and the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers."
Of the top 10 products by sales value, five were related to the motor vehicle and aircraft industries, while three were from the drinks industries (including soft drinks, beer and whisky).
