UK Manufacturing Payment Performance: Marginally Above Average, but Stark Divides Persist

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 190
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 51.2/100
• UK average: 50.0/100 (Manufacturing is 1.2 points above)
• Top payer: Liebherr Sunderland Works Limited - 90.5/100
• Bottom payer: Tata Steel UK Limited - 10.3/100
• Highest regional average: Northern Ireland - 78.5/100 (1 company)
• Lowest regional average (excluding regions with <4 companies): East of England - 54.9/100 (16 companies)

What Stands Out

While the manufacturing sector edges out the overall UK average in payment performance, the minuscule 1.2-point difference is hardly cause for celebration. The chasm between the best and worst payers reveals a significant disparity in how companies treat their suppliers, suggesting that some companies are prioritising their suppliers. You can use our late payment calculator to work out interest due on overdue invoices.

Best Payers

1. LIEBHERR SUNDERLAND WORKS LIMITED - 90.5/100
2. M GROUP SERVICES PLANT & FLEET SOLUTIONS LIMITED - 88.9/100
3. KINDRED (LONDON) LIMITED - 88.3/100
4. LINDE MH UK LIMITED - 88.17/100
5. ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS LIMITED - 86.6/100

Worst Payers

1. TATA STEEL UK LIMITED - 10.3/100
2. CROWN PACKAGING MANUFACTURING UK LIMITED - 15.6/100
3. AMETEK AIRTECHNOLOGY GROUP LIMITED - 16.9/100
4. GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL LIMITED - 17.5/100
5. GRAINGER & WORRALL ENGINEERING LIMITED - 17.7/100

Regional Patterns

Northern Ireland tops the regional rankings, but this is based on a single company, making it statistically insignificant. The North East, with an average of 57.6/100 across 4 companies, surpasses London's 55.0/100 across 17 companies, showing a potential trend for better payment practices in the region.

The takeaway: The 80.2-point gap between the best and worst payers highlights that payment performance in UK manufacturing is far from uniform, despite the sector's marginally above-average score of 51.2/100.