DCCI chief executive Ian Girling has called for more support for Dorset exporters after the latest results of an authoritative business survey.
His comments came as the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for July to September showed firms reporting continued growth albeit down on the previous quarter.
Replies from more than 7,500 businesses nationwide – including Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) members – revealed just a slight dip in growth in the services sector although growth in manufacturing export sales was at a six-year low.
Ian said: “Exports are crucial to rebalancing the economy and ensuring long term economic stability.
“Businesses and exporters in particular have been facing the headwinds of global uncertainty and the impact of the strong pound.
“However, more recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown manufacturing picking up, so it is important to retain a sense of perspective and remember that we still have higher growth than most G7 economies.
“Dorset businesses have shown great resilience over recent years and will continue to do so although any extra support would be valuable.
“With the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on the horizon, extra support could include measures to address the skills gap and give business greater access to capital for investment.”
As the voice of business in Dorset, DCCI has approximately 800 members representing 37,000 employees and is the only BCC accredited chamber in Dorset.
DCCI encourages members to take part in the QES to ensure the county’s voice is heard at the highest level of the business world and in Government.
The third quarter QES for July to September showed that overall the service sector remain relatively strong and stable. The balance of replies for domestic sales increased from +31 in the second quarter (Q2) to +36 in the third quarter. Employment increased from +22 to +24.
In manufacturing, balances for exports, investment, confidence, employment expectations and cashflow all recorded falls between Q2 and Q3.
Export sales were down from +14 to +10, exports orders fell from +15 to +10 and confidence in profitability fell from +45% to +32%.
QES results are presented as balance figures – the percentage of firms that reported an increase minus the percentage that reported a decrease. If the figure is a plus it indicates expansion of activity and if the figure is a minus it indicates contraction of activity. A figure above 0 indicates growth, while a figure below 0 indicates contraction.
The QES is based on nearly 7,500 responses from firms employing around 800,000 people.
Latest figures from the ONS showed manufacturing up by 0.5% in August, compared with July.
