Bringing Powder Coating In-House, free download
Published

Finishing Activity Up Modestly in First Quarter of 2019

Gardner Intelligence’s Michael Guckes reports the March Finishing Index was 52.4.

Share

The Gardner Business Index: Finishing Index closed the first quarter of 2019 with a March reading of 52.4. Compared to the Finishing Index’s all-time high (reached a year ago), the Finishing Index has fallen 17 percent. This should not overshadow the fact that March marked the Finishing Index’s 27th consecutive month of activity expansion. Further, the Finishing Index has rebounded three percent since it’s most recent nadir in November. The latest Finishing Index reading was supported by a sharp increase in production activity, followed by supplier deliveries and new orders. Employment, exports and backlogs all pulled the index lower. Both exports and backlogs experienced contracting activity in March.

Activity in new orders rebounded after registering a surprising contractionary reading in February. Part of the reason for the improvement in new orders may have been due to improved export activity, which registered its best reading since May 2018. The month’s relatively stronger reading for production as compared to new orders put pressure on backlogs which fell to a two-year low. Production activity has outpaced new orders activity in every month since December of 2018. As a result, it is not a coincidence that backlogs readings during that period have reported contracting activity.

Related Content

  • Bryan Leiker, MFACA, Discusses CARB Public Hearing Over Calif. Hex Chrome Ban

    Bryan Leiker, executive director, Metal Finishing Association of California, offers a recap of a January 27, 2023, public hearing conducted by the California Air Resources Board prior to an impending ruling on a proposed ban of hexavalent chromium use for finishing operations in the state.

  • Trivalent Chrome Overview

    As the finishing industry begins to move away from the use of hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium, what factors should finishers consider as they make new investments? Mark Schario, chief technology officer for Columbia Chemical offers a helpful overview of this complicated topic.

  • An Interview With Bryan Leiker, Metal Finishers Association of California

    Bryan Leiker, executive director for the Metal Finishers Association of California (MFACA), offers an update on actions to counter a proposed ban on hexavalent chromium plating and anodizing operations in the state.

Luster-On Products
plating and surface finishing additives
Heatmax Heaters ad with immersion heaters
find masking products online
The Finishing Industry’s Education and Networking Resource
PF Podcast
OptiCenter All-in-One OC11
Pretreatment Washer and Finishing Equipment
cfs masking