The manufacturing and construction sectors have been boosted by the news that sales of construction equipment have increased in the first quarter of 2012.
A survey from the UK Construction Products Association has shown that 51 per cent of heavy construction product manufacturers reported a year-on-year rise in sales in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.
The latest State of Trade Survey also revealed that 53 per cent of manufacturers of light construction products posted a rise in quarterly sales.
Manufacturers were also optimistic about their future prospects, with 36 per cent of heavy equipment manufacturers and 34 per cent of light equipment makers predicting sales will increase over the next 12 months.
Kelly Forrest, Construction Products Association's senior economist, warned that economic trouble in the eurozone could result in manufacturers encountering difficulties this year.
She said: "With more than 75 per cent of construction products exports being absorbed into the European market, recent forecasts from the OECD indicating a slowdown in key eurozone countries, such as Germany and France, potentially threaten prospects of further growth for product manufacturers."
