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July 25, 2012
Uncertainty Marks PMA’s July Business Conditions Report
Metalforming companies expect changes in business conditions during the next three months, according to the July report from the Precision Metalforming Association, Cleveland. The monthly report surveys 129 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada.
The July report shows that 19 percent of participants anticipate economic activity will improve during the next three months, up from 11 percent predicting improvement in June. At the same time, 36 percent expect activity to decline, up from the 32 percent in June. Only 45 percent expect activity to remain unchanged, down from 57 percent last month.
On the subject of incoming orders, 26 percent anticipate an increase over the next three months, an improvement from the 15 percent forecasting an increase in last month’s survey. Average daily shipping levels declined somewhat in July, with 26 percent of participants reporting shipping levels above levels of three months ago, down from 31 percent in June.
The percentage of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff decreased to 12 percent in July, down from 14 percent in June. The July figure remains more positive than one year ago when 18 percent of metalformers reported workers on short time or layoff.
“While there is a growing level of uncertainty among many in the metalforming industry, business conditions remain generally positive, with approximately 70 percent reporting that orders and shipments will be the same or higher for the period ahead,” says William E. Gaskin, PMA president. “Economic uncertainties in Europe, slower growth in Asia and political gridlock in the United States are not positive indicators. However, PMA’s member companies have experienced 11 percent growth in orders and 10 percent higher shipments for the first half of 2012.”
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2012 Directory of Master Distributors
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