PMPA Business Trends August 2018

 

“August Sales Index Recovers to All Time High.”

 

With 88 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for August 2018 recovered to its all-time high of 143 from March earlier this year. This 16-point surge (~13%) increase over July –the highest July on record- is solid testimony that we are in strong market for our high precision-machined components. The 2018 August index of 143 is about 9.2% higher than August 2017’s 131 value. Demand remains strong for our precision machined products Our year to date average is 136, up 11 points or 8.8% over 2017’s year-end average of 125. We are at 107% year to date.

 

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PMPA Business Trends July 2018

 

With 83 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for July 2018 declined from 138- the highest June on record- to 128, the highest value for July on record, down 7.3% from May and June levels. The 2018 July index of 128 is 14.3% higher than July 2017’s 112 value. Our industry gets to take a breather. Our year to date average is 135, up 10 points or 8.0% over 2017’s year-end average of 125. We are at 107% year to date. The FED reported that Industrial Production (IP) “edged up 0.1 percent in July after rising at an average pace of 0.5 percent over the previous five months.

Manufacturing production increased 0.3 percent… At 108.0 percent of its 2012 average, total
industrial production was 4.2 percent higher in July than it was a year earlier. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector was unchanged in July at 78.1 percent,” Manufacturing production remains strong.

 

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PMPA Business Trends June 2018

 

With 84 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for June 2018 held steady at 138, highest June on record and tied with May 2018. The calendar year average remains 136. The 2018 June index of 138 is 2.2% higher than June 2017’s 135 value. This is our Index’s highest value recorded for June, and is our second highest value ever recorded (March 2018’s 143 was the highest ever). Our year to date average is 136, up 11 points or 8.8% over 2017’s year-end average of 125. We are up 106% year to date.

 

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ITR Economic Report – May 2018

 

 

The Institute for Trend Research (ITR) quarterly reports focus on major areas of economic growth and decline in key market segments for the Precision Machined Products Industry. They are provided to PMPA members as part of the association’s overall business intelligence program and are used as a management tool to help PMPA members plan for what lies ahead and which markets they should focus on in a complex manufacturing environment. 

 

 

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PMPA Business Trends May 2018

 

With 86 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for May 2018 rebounded five points to 138, highest May on record and 2 standard deviations above the 5 year average for the index in May. The five point increase represents a 3.8% increase in Sales for our responding shops, and raises the calendar year average by a point to 136. The 2018 May index of 138 is 6.2% higher than May 2017’s 130 value. This is our Index’s highest value recorded for May, and is our second highest value ever recorded (March 2018’s 143 was the highest ever). Our year to date average is 136, up 11 points or 8.8% over 2017’s year-end average of 125. We are at 106% of where we were a year ago in May.

 

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OSHA Beryllium News

 

Wednesday May 09, 2018

Delay of Enforcement of the Beryllium Standards

May 11, 2018 is the day if your shop machines Beryllium

“… we have decided to delay enforcement of the general industry standard by 60 days until May 11, 2018. Furthermore, to ensure employers have adequate notice before OSHA begins enforcing them, as well as in the interest of uniform enforcement and clarity for employers, we have decided to also delay enforcement of the PEL and STEL in the construction and shipyard standards until May 11, 2018. No other parts of the construction and shipyard beryllium standards will be enforced without additional notice. In the interim, if an employer fails to meet the new PEL or STEL, OSHA will inform the employer of the exposure levels and offer assistance to assure understanding and compliance. No provisions of the beryllium final rule may be enforced until May 11, 2018. Please notify your staff of this delay.”

www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2018-03-02

 

OSHA Direct Final Rule Clarifying Beryllium Standard for General Industry Becomes Effective July 4, 2018

OSHA’s direct final rule (DFR) for its beryillum standard for general Industry will become effective on July 4, 2018, according to the  OSHA Trade Release published May 4, 2018. Notice can be found here: www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/trade/05042018

The DFR clarifies aspects of the standard for general industry as it applies to processes, operations, or areas where workers may be exposed to materials containing less than 0.1% beryllium by weight.

Link to OSHA DFR for Beryllium for General Industry: s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2018-09306.pdf

PMPA Business Trends April 2018

 

With 89 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for April 2018 was 133, up 15 points (12.7%) from April 2017’s value of 118. This is our Index’s highest value recorded for April, and our sixth highest month ever recorded. At 133, the April index is up 10.6 points or 8.7% over the 5-year average of 122.4 for the April Sales Index. Our year to date average is 135, up 10 points or 8% over 2017’s year-end average of 125. We are at 113% of where we were a year ago in April.

 

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PMPA Business Trends March 2018

 

With 91 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for March 2018 increased 14 points or 10.8% over February to 143, the highest value for the Business trends Index EVER! At 143, the index is up 11.2 points or 8.5% above the five-year average for the March sales index of 131.8. Two out of three months this year have set sales recordsJanuary and March. Our hours of first shift scheduled actually decreased from last month’s 44.2 to 43.9, a decline of 0.3 hour. The 5 year average for March is 132, at 143 March 2018 is up 8.3% over 5 year average for March.

 

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ITR Economic Report – February 2018

 

 

The Institute for Trend Research (ITR) quarterly reports focus on major areas of economic growth and decline in key market segments for the Precision Machined Products Industry. They are provided to PMPA members as part of the association’s overall business intelligence program and are used as a management tool to help PMPA members plan for what lies ahead and which markets they should focus on in a complex manufacturing environment. 

 

 

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PMPA Business Trends February 2018

 

With 81 companies responding, the PMPA Business Trends Index for February 2018 declined 6 points or 4.4% to 129, the highest index for February on record. At 129, the index is up 10 points or 7.4% above the five-year average for the February sales index of 119.4. While our January value of 135 was a new record, the six-point drop to 129 in February is still in very high territory for our shops. What it feels like- with every order on the books a priority, we are running out of options to add capacity and move orders to the front of the line. Our scheduled overtime remained the same as last month’s, we are doing everything in our power to produce and ship customer orders. What to watch- Lead times. Lead times in our shops and Lead Times on raw materials. Last month, almost three quarters of shops reporting (74.3%) reported sales increases up by ten percent or more in January. This month, that percentage fell to 12.3%, with 61.7 % of shops reporting sales declines in February, compared with January which was-admittedly a record month for sales.

 

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