Manufacturing outlook 2004/05 - Sorting the survivors from the winners

This is a good time to be in manufacturing. To those who are still feeling bruised by the upheavals and severe trading conditions of the past few years, this may seem an extraordinary statement. Few are comforted by the fact that the rate of change is still accelerating; in fact, uncertainty is becoming today’s only constant. So why, then, am I confident that I am right?

Quite simply, if you are one of those prepared to set the pace rather than follow the trend, the opportunities have never been better. Both our extensive research and the case studies featured in this report prove that organisations prepared to go the extra mile not only return real shareholder value but also build satisfying businesses with sound futures. The manufacturing climate is demanding but that has its advantages. It offers real opportunities to the talented, the diligent and those prepared to take carefully judged risks.