Our July 2010 Business Trends Report provides hard data that the precision machining industry is maintaining “A New Normal.”
The three month outlook for sales, lead time, employment and profitability are all quite positive as our industry passes the fourteenth month above the May 2009 low.
We are encouraged that our index did not drop further in July, a seasonally weak month for our industry.
Average length of first shift is up to 43.1 hours, more than 5 hours above the 2009 average.
94 percent of participating shops expect profitablity to remain the same or improve.
Those expecting sales to remain the same or increase made up 90% of our respondents.
The last shop owner I spoke with said that he was “Busier than heck and can’t ship parts fast enough.”
We suspect that part of his problem is getting the raw materials and tooling that he might need when he needs it…
How about you? Are you busier than heck? Are you still in the range we are calling the New Normal?
