Two surveys published this week by the federation show that while growth in office-based salaries is slowing, year-on-year increases in manufacturing wages are on the up.

In 2003, office-based pay increased year-on-year by 2.3%, compared with 5.5% for production wages.

The surveys also showed that certain areas of manufacturing were particularly badly hit. For example, wages for folder operators were up by 23% since 1998.

Cicely Brown, director of corporate and external affairs at the BPIF, warned that the industry would suffer from such shortages in the long term.

She said: "Unless the industry addresses the issue through training, recruiting a folding machine operator could be like finding a plumber in London."

The reports show that the increasing use of treble and continental shifts is pushing shift payments up by 20.4% since 1998.

Brown said: "It is essential that companies prove to themselves that more flexible shift patterns will contribute to the bottom line.

"Throughout the sector people need to get more people trained on the production side of things rather than just relying on taking somebody from the print factory down the road."

The reports, costing 250 each to BPIF members or 500 to non-members, are available from Kyle Jardine at kyle.jardine@bpif.org.uk.

Story by Josh Brooks