We are so busy at work now (service engineering) are things really picking up ? Not been this busy for the last 2 years.
We are in manufacturing. Just put my guys on short time, only the second time in 12 years. We are shut 2 days this week and have to see how we go next week. We haven't lost any customers. It's just that they have no work. We are a good early indicator of the state of the economy when things start to quieten down. We make a quality product at the quality/top end of the market. Customers stop buying our product when money gets tight. We were right at the front of the recession in 2008 and have had drops every time the economy has dipped since. This feels like the recession has really started to bite and I think harder times are still to come.
We've not done a big project for two years. Just very small ones and bits and bobs. It's still tough out there for us. :frown:
I am a service engineer in the metal working industries, up & down the country our customers are busy, but all orders are wanted yesterday, nothing is made for stock, & i suspect that most jobs are done at cost, with very little profit built in, just to keep the work coming in, the fat was trimmed out in 2008.
I'm a self empted joiner, the building trade around here is very quiet, I have taken a £100 a week drop in wages to find work. Steve
We are absolutely jam packed with work but only because for the last decade anyone who has left/retired has not been replaced and the workload has remained constant.
Luckily i work on the periphery of the Satellite manufacturing industry which is one of Britains shining beacons. The factory is full of them at various stages of completion. Make of this what you will but we had a recent visit by some of the counties great and good in high positions on the council. some of them had no clue that the biggest manufacturer in their town was here or that it is a world leader in its field.
Equipment in NHS Pathology is replaced via a tendering procedure. This has been flat with very few tenders in the last 2 years (long story, but NHS Pathology laboratories have seen drastic cuts in staff & revenue budgets). Hospitals are being forced to extend the use of equipment long past the planned end of contract. The equipment thus generates more work for service engineers as it struggles to cope with an ever-increasing workload. Bottom line: Both Pathology Laboratory staff & suppliers are very busy, but there is very little new business/new money flowing through. The upside for suppliers is that they see growth in the value of reagents & consumables turnover due to increased workload in the laboratories, but without the growth from new placements few firms in this market are currently investing.
This year is the largest budget I have had to manage for many years. Output on site is up and capital investment up by around 20% on previous years to £19.7m currently.
For me, work is as busy as ever. People will always crash on the motorway, but my industry is basically just communications. Wish I was in a position to throw some work peoples way
Well, pedally bikes keep breaking and parts, accessories and upgrades are always needed so that's good news. New bike sales are pretty flat but used sales are buoyant, bargains are sought. Weather features in my equation too. In addition I do a fair bit of jobbing engineering and fabrication work. If all else fails I'll turn rent boy again.
I worked in manufacturing when the recession hit in 2008 / 2009 and my weekly take home dropped from £450 to £230 per week. I feel your pain, i've been there. I now work in a salaried position (account manager) for a company that spreads its wings over many sectors of the UK and europe / middle east, we are consistently busy. Best move I ever made was to swap overalls for a collar and tie.
