The country’s manufacturing sector continued to grow in September, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index from Investec.
The seasonally-adjusted index was 52.7 in September, 0.7 higher than the August figure, with new orders, activity and employment all rising during the month.
An index above 50 indicates growth in the sector.
The increase marks the fourth successive month of growth and is also the fastest pace of expansion in more than a year.
Investec's PMI gathers responses from 285 executives in a range of manufacturers across the country.
Panellists in September reported a sharp increase in the rate of inflation during the month, which was offset by their ability to increase output prices due to strengthening demand.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that this increase in demand led to an increase in staffing levels, which have been rising for the last four months according to the survey.
