Export volumes fall as engineers struggle

SCOTTISH manufactured export volumes dropped 2.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter in the final three months of last year, as the key engineering sector’s overseas sales tumbled, official figures show.

Export volumes of the engineering and allied industries dropped by 9.1 per cent quarter-on-quarter in the final three months of 2016, according to the figures published yesterday by the Scottish Government.

The food, beverages and tobacco sector’s overseas sales volumes were flat in the fourth quarter. Export volumes in the refined petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical products category rose by 0.6 per cent quarter-on-quarter in the final three months of last year. The textiles, clothing and leather sector achieved a 4.7 per cent rise in export volumes.

Comparing last year with 2015, Scottish manufactured export volumes dropped by 5.3 per cent. Export volumes of the engineering and allied industries fell 7.6 per cent over last year as a whole.

Andy Hall, head of corporate banking for Barclays in central Scotland, said: “After a challenging year for manufacturing, it’s perhaps not surprising 2016 concluded with a further decline in performance by 2.3 per cent.”

Expressing hopes that Scottish manufacturers would have fared better on the export front in the first quarter, he added: “With the total volume of manufactured exports falling by 5.3 per cent in 2016 when compared to 2015, it’s apparent growth will be hard-earned, but we should be optimistic that the sector in Scotland reflects the more positive wider UK performance in the first few months of 2017.”