Average Product Prices(super1) Direct Mfg. Costs(super2) Growth in U.S. End Markets (super3)
Change, %, During 12 Mo Ending... and Margins Grade Change, %, During 12 Mo Ending...
Industry SIC Dec 98 Mar 99 Costs are... Grade Dec 98 Mar 99
Hand and edge tools 3423 1.24 1.17 Stable A+ 4.24 3.85
Hand saws and saw blades 3425 0.15 0.03 Stable A+ 2.56 2.46
Other hardware 3429 0.82 0.53 Stable A+ 4.50 4.30
Power transmission equipment 3568 1.93 1.95 Stable A+ 1.80 0.36
Conveyors and conveying
equipment 3535 1.42 1.55 Stable A+ 6.04 6.17
Hoists, cranes, and monorails 3536 2.85 2.66 Stable A+ 5.55 5.81
Industrial trucks and tractors 3537 0.56 0.40 Stable C 7.67 7.60
Metal-cutting machine tools 3541 2.51 1.80 Stable A 7.61 6.77
Machine tool accessories 3545 1.80 1.58 Stable A 6.78 5.89
Power-driven hand tools 3546 1.33 1.21 Stable B 3.23 2.86
Welding apparatus 3548 1.86 1.65 Stable A+ 3.43 3.16
Pumps and pumping
equipment 3561 2.15 2.06 Stable A+ 2.67 1.98
Air and gas compressors 3563 1.23 1.44 Stable A+ 2.67 1.98
Speed changers, drives, and gears 3566 2.15 2.13 Stable A 1.80 0.36
Transformers 3612 1.05 1.13 Stable B 17.96 16.99
Motors and generators 3621 0.76 0.71 Stable B 19.28 19.31
Process control instruments 3823 1.76 1.42 Stable A+ 7.74 7.15
Fluid meters and counting
devices 3824 -4.56 -2.96 Stable F 7.74 7.15
Instruments to measure
electricity 3825 -0.21 -0.62 Stable C 17.71 16.52
(super1) Average product price changes are calculated from the producer price index for each 4-digit SIC (standard industrial classification) industry from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(super2) Analyses of each industry's direct manufacturing cost changes are from Thinking Cap Solutions, Inc.'s proprietary Industry Cost Escalation (ICE) model. The "grade" indicates that recent price/cost changes have produced record high (A+) margins to average margins (C) to record low (F-) margins for the average producer in an industry. Grades of A to A+ means plant engineers may be able to strike a better bargain with suppliers and better control plant costs.
(super3) Growth in U.S. end markets data are from the ICE model and are estimates of output for the domestic end markets which purchase a given industry's products.
All data prepared and presented by Thinking Cap Solutions, Inc., Port Angeles, WA (telephone: 360-452-6159; e-mail: thinkcap@olypen.com).
