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Overall, the British economy grew by 0.7% in the second quarter of this year, but manufacturing declined by about 0.3%.

There are several immediate reasons for the slowdown, namely the appreciation of sterling, subdued demand in the euro zone and the recent economic turmoil in China. Samuel Tombs, an economist at Capital Economics, a research outfit, says the data suggest “that a sustained revival in the export-manufacturing sector will remain a distant prospect.”

It’s not all doom and gloom. The manufacturing association reports that whereas sectors such as electrical and mechanical equipment makers are particularly weak, others such as the transport and electrical sectors report more output. And Britain’s niche manufacturers, for items such as handmade shoes and bicycles, are also doing quite well.

Nonetheless, even the rare success stories point to the enduring problems of Britain’s manufacturers. Dyson, a maker of cordless vacuums and bladeless fans, recently reported a record-busting 2014, with revenues up by 10% to £1.3 billion.

Yet although the company may be based in the rural English town of Malmesbury, where all its design and testing takes place, all its manufacturing has been moved to Singapore and Malaysia to take advantage of lower costs and to be nearer its fastest-growing markets.

Economist Sept 8 2015