• TOPICS
    • Design
    • Manufacturing
    • Inspection
    • Heat Treating
    • Lubrication
    • Materials
    • The Gear Industry
    • Gears by Type
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Departments
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Subscribe
  • VIDEO
    • Gear Technology TV
      • Ask the Expert Live
      • Revolutions
    • Industry Videos
  • BLOGS
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • NEWS and EVENTS
    • Product News
    • Industry News
    • Events
  • ADVERTISING
    • Brand Awareness
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
    • Response & Lead Generation
      • Online: Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • Online: Buyers Guide
    • Print Advertising
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • Print: Specifications
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
    • Online Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • Online: Buyers Guide
      • Online: Specifications
    • E-mail Advertising
      • E-mail: E-Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: AGMA Industry News
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Specifications
    • Special Promotions
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
  • CONTACT US
  • AGMA
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Education
    • Emerging Technology
    • AGMA Media
    • Standards
Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » PMA Predicts Business to Improve

PMA Predicts Business to Improve

February 20, 2012

According to the February 2012 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metalforming companies predict a spike in business conditions during the next three months. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic indicator for manufacturing, sampling 138 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada. The February report shows that 51 percent of participants expect economic activity to improve during the next three months (up from 41 percent in January), 45 percent predict that activity will remain unchanged (compared to 54 percent last month) and only 4 percent report that activity will decline (down from 5 percent in January). Metalforming companies also anticipate a slight improvement in incoming orders during the next three months, with 56 percent forecasting an increase in orders (up from 51 percent in January), 33 percent expecting no change (compared to 40 percent last month) and 11 percent predicting a decrease in orders (up from 9 percent in January).

Average daily shipping levels rose significantly in February.  Forty-five percent of participants report that shipping levels are above levels of three months ago (up from 30 percent in January), 45 percent report that shipping levels are the same as three months ago (compared to 48 percent last month), and only 10 percent report a decrease in shipping levels (compared to 22 percent in January). The percentage of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff dropped to 7 percent in February, down from 12 percent in January. This number has not been at this level since December 2006-the last time only 7 percent of companies reported workers on short time or layoff.

"Responses to PMA's February 2012 Business Conditions Report are similar to those of one year ago, in February 2011, when companies in the metalforming industry, on average, grew at a 14 percent annualized rate during Q-1. The rapid growth in 2011 was cut short by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the resulting disruptions of the supply chains for automobiles and electronic products, among others.  An important question for the outlook in 2012 is whether external factors, such as occurred in 2011, will again negatively impact growth in manufacturing," said PMA President William E. Gaskin.  "Important issues that may constrain growth include difficulty hiring skilled employees and potentially higher material prices, due to low inventories of flat-rolled metal.  The January 2012 Metals Service Center Institute report for inventories of flat-rolled carbon indicated that January inventories were at 2.2 months of supply, down from 2.8 months in December.  As the PMA data indicates, expectations for growth are strong at this point, but always subject to external forces."

Industry News
  • Related Articles

    PMA Business Conditions Improve

    PMA Reports Business Conditions Steady in January 2008

    PMA Business Report for December Optimistic

Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
FEATURED VIDEO
  • Helios1
    Forest City Gear Taps Helios Gear for Custom Cutting Tools
January 18, 2023
RECOMMENDED
  • 2022 Gear Technology Buyer's Guide

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122-buyers-guide.jpg
  • Reigniting the Educational Infrastructure

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_20_Image_0001.jpg
  • Profile: Continuing Education and Training with the AGMA

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_26_Image_0001.jpg
  • Polished Up!

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_38_Image_0002.jpg
  • Remaining Competitive

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_42_Image_0001.jpg
  • Polished Up!

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_38_Image_0002.jpg
  • Remaining Competitive

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_42_Image_0001.jpg
  • 2022 Gear Technology Buyer's Guide

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122-buyers-guide.jpg
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • AGMA
Powered byAGMA
Copyright © 2023 Gear Technology
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact