THE region’s firms are bucking the trend for manufacturing output compared to the rest of the UK, according to a survey.

Output in Yorkshire and the Humber has increased by a balance of +29 per cent, with prospects for the next three months forecast to show a balance of +24 per cent, in a survey published by EEF, the manufacturer’s organisation and business advisers BDO LLP.

The survey also reveals companies in the region are also intending to hire more workers with a balance of 18 per cent.

Meanwhile, across the UK, while activity levels remain largely unchanged from the second quarter of this year, manufacturers’ confidence about future prospects for the overall UK economy have also been harmed, which has prompted EEF to downgrade its growth forecasts for both the economy and manufacturing for this year and 2017.

Britain’s mixed manufacturing picture as a whole will delay the prospect of a return to stronger growth until the end of the year, the survey, published yesterday, states.

But UK export figures stand at +two per cent for the third quarter of this year, due to the fall in Sterling and stronger demand from the EU, US and emerging markets.

Andy Tuscher, Yorkshire and Humber region director at EEF, said manufacturer’s confidence is returning following a shaky reaction to the EU referendum result in June.

EEF’s forecasts for UK growth were revised in July, with growth projections for the economy this year and next remaining at 1.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent.

Mr Tuscher said: “Manufacturers’ confidence collapsed in the aftermath of the referendum, but our latest survey provides some relief that this has corrected.

“Signs of an export revival are helping to drive more optimism about activity in the second half of the year, but concerns about whether the UK economy can shrug off post-referendum challenges are still clearly evident.

“These risks are expected to hit some sectors, such as industries linked to investment goods and construction, harder than others.”