What We’re Hearing from Manufacturers This Quarter
Encouraging Signs from Canterbury’s Manufacturing Sector
Our latest Quarterly Business Survey, covering September to November, drew a strong response from Canterbury manufacturers, particularly across the larger end of the sector. That level of engagement gives us a good read on how manufacturing businesses are tracking as we head toward 2026.
We’ve talked before about the three-speed economy within manufacturing, and elements of that are still present. What stood out this quarter, though, was a clear lift in confidence. More manufacturers are looking ahead with greater optimism around performance, investment, and workforce plans than we’ve seen in recent surveys.
The comments tell a similar story. Export markets are starting to pick up again after a fairly disrupted period, the agricultural outlook is improving with flow-on effects into manufacturing, and there’s a growing sense that easing interest rates and continued population growth will begin to support activity over the coming year.
If you’re interested in how many manufacturers expect stronger financial performance over the next 12 months, how many are planning to invest, and what hiring intentions look like, I’d encourage you to read the Canterbury Manufacturing Quarterly Survey Report.
And if you want to talk through what this might mean for your business, feel free to get in touch.
