If you mentioned how this past winter was particularly dark, exceptionally gloomy and incredibly snowy, no one in America would argue. Even the folks in the most tropical of paradises — namely, Florida and California — saw snow and brisker temperatures, which means no one was truly safe from the wrath of the winter. But now, spring is officially here, and so far, that’s meant good news for the real estate, retail and automotive industries.
According to the latest reports from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), there’s plenty to celebrate in the manufacturing industry as well.
Earlier this week, the ISM released its newest numbers for the month of March, which found manufacturing growth in the United States was up to 53.7%, up slightly from its 53.2% February number. This expansion is the latest in a two-month growth streak, though the numbers are still below the median forecast of 54% which was tallied by a Reuters poll of economists.
Still, any industry reading above 50% shows expansion in the manufacturing realm as a whole. And with a March at 53.7%, it’s safe to say that the industry is springing to life after a cold, dormant winter. As the chief economist for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, Daniel J. Meckstroth, told Manufacturing Business Technology magazine, production is also up, with new orders growing in the months since the snow dissipated throughout the country.
“These indicators tend to confirm the suspicion that weather probably played a major part in the flattening of manufacturing industrial production growth in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the fourth quarter of last year,” Meckstroth said.
Part of the continued success of the manufacturing and production industries as a whole has been Computer Numerical Control, a highly advanced system that allows activities like drilling and shearing to be handled entirely by computer processes. Computer Numerical Control, often shortened to just CNC, can be thought of as a more reliable system of manufacturing when compared to jobs that can be done by humans.
Will the exceptional growth of the machining sector continue into the summertime? It’s hard to tell, but so far there’s no data to indicate otherwise. And keeping in mind that March 2014 was the latest of 10 consecutive months of growth for the industry, it seems like a likely option. After all, winter is over, and the demand for creation is here once again.