Figures released this morning show that the manufacturing sector expanded at a robust pace in July, easing only slightly from the six month high recorded in June.
The NCB Purchasing Managers' Index recorded 54.7, compared to 55.4 in June . Any figure above 50 signals growth.
NCB economist Dermot O'Brien said the figures showed that the recovery in manufacturing employment now looks more solid and is being supported by strong growth in output and orders, with some improvement in inflation pressures.
The employment index rose again for the fourth month in a row and was at a pace broadly in line with June's six year high.
There was a strong expansion of new orders in the month, though at a slightly less marked rate than June's 74-month high.
NCB said that expansion of new work was supported by a solid increase in foreign business, although the rate at which new export orders rose was the least marked in the current four-month period.
Irish manufacturers faced a sharp increase in input costs, with firms reporting paying higher prices for metals and fuel. Output charges also rose but at a slower rate than June.
