Small and medium-sized manufacturing companies are having to contend with strain on their supply chains as well as a drop in demand during the Covid-19 crisis, research shows.
Six in ten manufacturers have said they are experiencing problems with suppliers, such as lengthening delivery times and increased costs for products, materials and services.
Almost two thirds of the 289 companies surveyed by the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) said orders had dropped because of the pandemic.
These problems, combined with managing production despite depleted workforces, had resulted in more than half of respondents taking on additional debt since March to help them deal with the disruption.
Only one in ten thought Brexit would result in a positive outcome for their businesses, while one in four thought
