PMA Report shows diversification trend among manufacturers.

Press Release Summary:



PMA Sales and Marketing Report shows that middle-market metalforming companies are shifting sales and marketing efforts in attempt to become more diversified, with best opportunities coming from defense/ordinance, aerospace, and health and medical markets. Metalforming companies project 11% of orders will come from new customers during next 12 months, and only 4% of participants forecast increase in automotive industry sales.



Original Press Release:



Sales and Marketing Report Reveals Trends and Opportunities for Metalformers



CLEVELAND, OH - March 5, 2009 - The new 2009 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Sales and Marketing Report profiles the marketing campaigns and sales plans for 106 manufacturing companies. Conducted annually, the report outlines the strategies metalforming companies use to market and sell their products and services.

The report reveals that middle-market metalforming companies are successfully shifting their sales and marketing to become much more diversified, with the best opportunities coming from defense/ordinance, aerospace, and health and medical markets, as they are expected to be the strongest markets through the next 12 months. The automotive industry is projected to be the weakest market during the next six months, with only four percent of participants forecasting an increase in sales. However, there is more optimism for the automotive industry over the coming 12 months, as 21 percent of respondents expect an increase in sales during that time frame.

In addition, metalforming companies project that 11 percent of their orders will come from new customers during the next 12 months. This is an increase over the previous 12 months, during which only eight percent of orders were received from new customers, thus supporting the move to diversify.

The report also covers data on marketing objectives, lead generation channels, company promotions, sales responsibilities, quote ratios, customer requirements, sales agreements and expenses, inside sales representatives, direct outside representatives and more.

"Metalforming companies are responding to the current economic challenges by seeking new markets and customers," said William E. Gaskin, president of PMA. "They are focusing sales and marketing efforts on diversification and evaluating how they can adapt their production capabilities to serve new customers and markets. PMA's Sales and Marketing Report confirms these trends and will help innovative companies better understand the steps being taken by industry leaders."

The Sales and Marketing Report is one of 11 business reports offered by PMA to help manufacturers reliably manage, plan and forecast their businesses. PMA members who participate in the survey receive free reports, while non-participating PMA members can order reports a la carte at low prices and nonmembers may purchase this report through a business report subscription. Visit pma.org/business-reports for more information.

PMA is the full-service trade association representing the $91-billion metalforming industry of North America - the industry that creates precision metal products using stamping, fabricating, spinning, slide forming and roll forming technologies, and other value-added processes. Its nearly 1,200 member companies also include suppliers of equipment, materials and services to the industry. PMA leads innovative member companies toward superior competitiveness and profitability through advocacy, networking, statistics, the PMA Educational Foundation, METALFORM tradeshows and MetalForming magazine.

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