UK manufacturing output rose in March 2026, beating expectations and showing a stronger month for the sector after weakness in February.
Manufacturing production increased 1.2% month on month, compared with expectations for a 0.2% decline. This followed a revised 0.2% fall in February. On an annual basis, manufacturing output was also up 1.2%, ahead of expectations for no change and reversing a revised 0.8% fall in the previous month.
The figures give investors a clearer sign that parts of the UK industrial economy improved at the end of the first quarter. While one month of data is not enough to confirm a lasting recovery, the March increase was supported by gains across eight of the thirteen manufacturing subsectors.
Several areas that had fallen in February returned to growth. Transport equipment output rose 2.0% after a 2.1% decline in the previous month. Basic metals increased 2.1% after a 1.7% fall, while rubber and plastic products rose 1.8% following a 0.4% decline. Food, beverages and tobacco output increased 1.1%, textiles, wearing apparel and leather products rose 3.6%, and wood and paper products gained 1.2%.
Basic pharmaceutical products rose 2.1%, electrical equipment increased 3.3%, and chemical products advanced 2.9%. These gains show that the improvement covered a mix of consumer-linked, industrial and specialised manufacturing areas.
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