PMA issues Sept 2007 Business Conditions Report.
Press Release Summary:
According to Sept 2007 Business Conditions Report, which provides economic indicator for manufacturing, metalforming companies expect business conditions to remain fairly steady during next 3 months. Just 36% of respondents forecast increase in orders, while 44% expect no change, and 20% anticipate decrease in orders. However, current average daily shipping level compared to past 3 months improved in September.
Original Press Release:
Business Conditions Report: September 2007
CLEVELAND, OH-September 18, 2007-According to the September 2007 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metalforming companies expect business conditions to remain fairly steady during the next three months. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic indicator for manufacturing, sampling 159 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada.
When asked what they expect the trend in general economic activity to be over the next three months, 28% of participants reported that conditions will improve (compared to 29% in August), 53% predict activity will remain the same (down from 56% the previous month) and 19% anticipate a decline in business conditions (up from 15% in August).
Metalforming companies expect incoming orders to dip slightly during the next three months. Just 36 percent of respondents forecast an increase in orders (down from 43% in August), 44% expect no change (compared to 40% last month) and 20% anticipate a decrease in orders (up from 17% in August).
However, current average daily shipping levels compared to the past three months improved in September. Thirty-two percent of companies reported that shipping levels are above levels of three months ago (compared to 28% in August), 39% reported no change (up from 36% in August) and 29% reported that September shipping levels are below levels of three months ago (compared to 36% in August).
The number of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff decreased to 11% in September, down from 13% in August.
The monthly Business Conditions Report has been conducted by PMA since 1979. Full report results are available at www.pma.org. 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 and other value-added processes. Its nearly 1200 member companies include metal stampers, fabricators, spinners, slide formers and roll formers as well as suppliers of equipment, materials and services to the industry. Members are located in 30 countries, with the majority found in North America-in 41 states of the United States as well as Canada and Mexico.
Contact:
Christie Carmigiano
Government, Safety & Public Affairs Manager
Precision Metalforming Association
Phone: 216/901-8800
Fax: 216/901-9190
E-mail: ccarmigiano@pma.org
Web site: www.pma.org
