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Aug. 23, 2012
Metalformers’ Outlook Improving Slightly
Metalforming companies still have mixed feelings about business conditions over the next three months, but the overall sentiment is improving, according to the latest report from the Precision Metalforming Association, Cleveland.
PMI’s August Business Conditions Report shows that 23 percent of the executives surveyed expect economic activity to improve over the next three months, up from 19 percent in July. In contrast, 31 percent anticipate a decline, but that’s down from 36 percent last month.
The story is the same in terms of incoming orders. Companies expecting an increase in orders improved to 29 percent, from 26 percent in July, while those forecasting a decline fell from 34 percent to 31 percent.
Average daily shipping levels continued to decline in August. Only 17 percent of participants reported shipping levels above those of three months ago, down from 26 percent in July, while 40 percent reported a decrease in shipping levels, up from 31 percent in July.
The percentage of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff increased to 13 percent in August, up from 12 percent in July. The August figure remains similar to one year ago when 12 percent of metalformers reported workers on short time or layoff.
“Business conditions in the metalforming industry reflect continued concerns about economic conditions in the United States and increasingly in Europe,” says William E. Gaskin, PMA president. “The modest uptick in expectations for new orders and the slight decline in shipments are typical for mid-summer, as companies look ahead to higher production levels common in the early fall. Year-to-date, through June, the average PMA member has experienced a 9 percent increase in orders and a 10 percent increase in shipments, so there has been solid growth in 2012, even though the most recent months have seen modest decreases in activity,” he adds.
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2012 Directory of Master Distributors
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The Metal Center News Directory of Master Distributors—distributors who sell to other distributors—is an invaluable tool for service centers seeking new sources for special or hard-to-find products. Master distributors play an important role in the marketplace, giving service centers an alternative to buying in mill quantities and helping to remove redundant and excess inventories from the distribution channel.
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