Industrial and Manufacturing
While the industrial and manufacturing sector is large and diverse, most of its players face similar challenges.
Unless offset by price and surcharge rises, margins have been squeezed by the rising costs of oil, natural gas and steel. At the same time, customers are reluctant to invest in new equipment and the demand for after sales services has grown.
To strengthen core product lines or expand their presence geographically, some players are looking to acquire, while others are keen to divest their under-performing businesses. This comes at a time when local and national taxes, often managed across many territories, are more and more complex and under constant review.
We have a global understanding of the sector and so are ideally placed to share and apply the market intelligence and legal know-how we’ve gained from working in key markets and multiple jurisdictions. Consequently, our advice is realistic, practical and commercially viable.
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News & insights
Publications: 04 OCTOBER 2019
Outstanding performance by A&O in global M&A league tables
A&O has marked the end of Q3 2019 with an outstanding performance in the M&A league tables; the result of advising on a number of complex, high-value transactions in a wide range of sectors and markets, around our global network in 2019.
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Publications: 28 AUGUST 2019
NICE consults on Draft Guideline on prescribing medicinal cannabis
On 8 August 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)1 published a draft guideline on prescribing cannabis-based medicinal products (the Draft Guideline) for consultation.2
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Publications: 30 JULY 2019
Blow to applicants in UK class actions as MasterCard wins right to appeal
The UK class action regime must take a break whilst the Supreme Court (UKSC) hears the appeal in Merricks v MasterCard concerning the proper approach to certification of a class action. Two applications for a Collective Proceedings Order (CPO) brought by organisations aiming to recover damages from truck manufacturers have already been adjourned. However the effect will also be felt by all similar CPO applicants until the law is settled by the UKSC. With the UKSC unlikely to hear the appeal in Merricks until Spring or Summer 2020, clarification of the law is unlikely until late 2020 or early 2021. This is a blow to applicants, who will be forced to sit tight until then. However, with such significant implications for the UK class-action regime – and with potentially billions at stake – it is vital that the UKSC gives a definitive ruling in Merricks.
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Publications: 26 JULY 2019
China removes more barriers to market entry
The pledge by President Xi at the G20 Summit in Osaka that China would continue to liberalise market access has seen immediate progress in the form of a new update to the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment (the Industries Catalogue) and the publication of two revised negative lists governing foreign investment.
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