ECONOMICS

Demand components lead to composites GBI contraction

For the first time in two years, the Composites Fabricating Index has contracted, though components continue to shift between expanding and contracting activity.

Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research

Composites industry GBI holds its own in August

The GBI: Composites Fabricating ended August with slowed expansion but managed to stay above water, with all component indices continuing to show slowed rates of growth.

Composites industry perpetuates deceleration trend into July

The Composites Fabricating Index continues to experience slowed growth in a majority of its components, inching closer to a reading of “50.”

Composites industry continues early 2022 trends into June

As in May, a majority of the components in the Gardner Business Index (GBI): Composites Fabricating continue movement into slowed expansionary growth.

Composites industry continues slowing expansion trend

The composites GBI “plays it again” in May at 56.7, mostly following the trend of slowing component expansion, though employment is an exception.

Composites Index experiences fluctuating expansion

The GBI: Composites Fabricating continues to shift between accelerated and slowed expansion in short periods of time, but not enough to anticipate risk of contraction.

Composites industry continues 2022 upswing

The Gardner Business Index closed March out at 61.4, with production activity continuing to persist despite some restraints caused by supplier delivery and employment components.

Composites Index rebounds in November

The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed November up nearly two points, registering expanding activity versus October’s close call with contraction.

Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research

Composites industry begins 2022 with a burst of activity

January’s business activity readings remain robust in the face of a reduced labor supply and struggling supply chains.

Composites Index ends volatile 2021 better off than where it started

The Composites Fabricating Index gives an overarching outlook on the 2021 calendar year and how readings compare to 2020.

Easing supply chain constraints may open production flow

Inflated supplier delivery readings have made a significant decline in November, pointing to a slow, if not steady, improvement in the supply chain.

Broad-based industry expansion limited by supply chain conditions

October’s readings reflect significant expansion in export orders, new orders, production, employment activity, backlogs and prices received, with a widening “production deficit.”

Contracting employment and production activity weigh on composites fabricators

Weak employment activity indicated by September readings compounds production supply chain woes.

Data signal a pivotal moment for composites industry

Mixed signals from the Composites Fabricating Index suggest that supply chain problems are holding back the industry from greater expansion.

Composites GBI is headed toward contraction

The GBI: Composites Fabricating in October continued its deceleration trend, though it fared better than most of the manufacturing industry.

Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research

Slowing industry expansion led by decline of new orders

A slowing July expansion is reflected by new orders, production and backlog readings, the latter of which experienced a 15-point decline, one of the largest single-month declines in recorded history.

Composites Index sets two all-time highs in three months

Supported by strong business conditions and struggling supply chains, the June Composites Index set a new high reading.

Composites Index sustains a third month in record territory

Accelerating new orders, backlogs and challenging supply chains propel the index higher for the month of May.

Composites index moderates lower after all-time high

Composite fabricators report slowing expansion in new orders, production, with gains made in supplier delivery and employment activity readings.

Composites Index jumps five points to an all-time high

Volatile March survey finds troubled supply chains and strong demand.

Slow supply chains and strong demand elevate material prices

The Composites Fabricating Index set a new multi-year high for the month of February. Fabricators should expect material prices to remain highly volatile the longer that supply chains remain disrupted.

GBI: Composites Fabricating approaches contraction in September

The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed September on the verge of “flat,” a reading the Index has not seen in two years.

Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research

Supply chain challenges persist into the new year

Quickening expansion in new orders and production activity was counterbalanced by worsening contraction in export activity for the January Composites Index.

Supply chains will mean everything for composites in early 2021

Lengthening order-to-fulfillment times caused the reading for supplier deliveries to surge, lifting the overall December Composites Index into expansionary territory.

Composites activity expands for third straight month

Production may struggle under slowing new orders and supply chain challenges.

Composites activity expansion quickens in October

Seasonal shipping rush sends supplier delivery reading higher, marking the first time since mid-2019 that the Index reported two consecutive months of expanding business activity.

Composites Index marks first COVID-era expansion

Expanding new orders, production and employment activity send the Index over 50 for the month of September.

Composites Index extends slowing contraction trend in August

Fueled by a positive production reading, the Composites Index faces its fourth month of slowing contraction.

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