The return to positive margins in recent months has rejuvenated producer confidence in investing for the future for the first time in three years, according to the latest BPEX Confidence Survey.
That renewed confidence is also reflected in the attitudes of vets and members of the allied industry who responded to the survey.
On top of that, the industry is bullish in terms of improving its competitiveness relative to peers in the UK and in the rest of the EU. This, in turn, means capital expenditure is planned on replacement buildings.
The survey was carried out at the start of this year and included a section on BPEX, the results of which showed overall the organisation’s services were rated at between good and excellent.
The quality of BPEX services is viewed to have improved slightly in the past 12 months, with 86% of surevy respondents expecting to draw on the organisation’s services, knowledge and expertise to help their businesses in the year ahead.
More than half the respondents felt BPEX had made a positive impact to their business following contact with the organisation.
BPEX’s head of communication, Andrew Knowles, said those who took part in the survey layed down a challenge for BPEX to provide even greater value for money, and this is what lies at the heart of the new strategy and plans for the coming four years.
“The industry has been through some very difficult times but producers appear to be looking at the future with more optimism,” he added.
The survey report can be downloaded from the link below: