Thriving or Surviving? The Manufacturing Sector Health Check – February 2026

UK manufacturing is showing cautious signs of stabilisation, according to Enginuity’s latest “Thriving or Surviving?” health check based on ONS data for December 2025 and January 2026. 

Manufacturing GDP dipped 0.6 points while the wider UK economy inched up, and employment fell by 7,000 to 2.3 million. Yet vacancies rose to 52,000, highlighting persistent skills gaps and recruitment for critical roles. Exports grew 4.6%, with strong gains in apparel, printing and furniture, and production rose sharply in aerospace and electronics. Enginuity concludes the sector is “surviving with flashes of resilience”