Industry Analysis & Industry Trends
The Specialised Design Activities industry is expected to generate £13.7 billion in 2011-12, up 6.9% from 2010-11. The global financial crisis caused a decline in demand for the industry's services, as cash-strapped businesses cut back on non-essential spending. As the UK economy recovers, and businesses find room in their budgets for specialised design services, the industry is likely to fare better. Despite considerable year-on-year volatility, the industry has actually grown by an average 0.7% per annum over the last five years.
While a rebound for the industry is forecast, it hinges on a continued recovery in the United Kingdom's economic fortunes... purchase to read more
Industry Report - Industry Investment Chapter
The industry requires a medium level of capital investment in comparison to labour costs. This is reflected in the industry's capital to labour ration, which indicates that for every pound spent on the use and replacement of equipment and other assets, 4.8 is spent on labour. Labour is highly skilled and specialised, although traditional design skills like drafting by hand are becoming less ubiquitous in the industry, as computers become the norm. Computer hardware, and especially specialised software platforms, depreciate quickly and must be replaced if operators wish to stay up to date in this tech-savvy industry. However, although the tools may have changed, the requirement for creative input is unlikely to disappear from the industry... purchase to read more