The Government seems to have a blind spot for the potential of the North East. This has come at the whole country's expense; the Tories, with their eye on the 2015 general election, appear to be prioritising spending in regions with large numbers of marginal seats, whilst slashing budgets in the North East and elsewhere.
Of the main three sectors in a developed economy (services, manufacturing and construction) manufacturing is the one to show the signs of a slowdown first. The reason is simple; retailers and wholesalers cancel or reduce orders in the face of slowing consumer demand and work instead from stockpiles of goods.