DLA partner Richard May said: 'As a global law firm, it is particularly pleasing for us to see new export orders growing alongside a generally positive outlook for the British manufacturing sector with companies still intending to recruit and invest. It will be interesting to see what impact the result of the UK general election has on the outlook for manufacturers.'

Expanding output

The report says: 'Overall, our survey suggests that the positive run of output expansion across manufacturing for the past eight quarters will carry on in the first half of 2015. Investment plans continue to look robust compared with past trends, a good sign for growth and productivity in the sector.' Source: DLA