Business confidence remains high among U.S. manufacturers
The latest survey of business confidence shows U.S. manufacturers believe that the economic expansion will extend through at least this year.
By Staff
The latest survey of business confidence shows U.S. manufacturers believe that the economic expansion will extend through at least this year. The Cahners Business Confidence Index (CBCI) was unchanged between January and February to remain at its highest level since May 1997. February's stability propelled the Index into its fourth straight month without a decline.
In the nearly 7 yr of its existence, the Index has risen for four consecutive months only four times, and it has never seen five consecutive monthly gains. The last time business confidence progressed for 4 mo was a year ago, during the November 1996 to March 1997 period. The March 1997 level (at 67.7) turned out to be the highest the Index has achieved in the 11 mo hence.
February confidence readings were highest for companies headquartered in the West and South, and for those in electronics and construction product industries. In the survey, 77.3% of manufacturers said that business conditions during February were good or excellent, and 76% indicated that they expected conditions would improve over the coming 3 mo.
Case Study Database
Get more exposure for your case study by uploading it to the Plant Engineering case study database, where end-users can identify relevant solutions and explore what the experts are doing to effectively implement a variety of technology and productivity related projects.
These case studies provide examples of how knowledgeable solution providers have used technology, processes and people to create effective and successful implementations in real-world situations. Case studies can be completed by filling out a simple online form where you can outline the project title, abstract, and full story in 1500 words or less; upload photos, videos and a logo.
Click here to visit the Case Study Database and upload your case study.
2012 Salary Survey
In a year when manufacturing continued to lead the economic rebound, it makes sense that plant manager bonuses rebounded. Plant Engineering’s annual Salary Survey shows both wages and bonuses rose in 2012 after a retreat the year before.
Average salary across all job titles for plant floor management rose 3.5% to $95,446, and bonus compensation jumped to $15,162, a 4.2% increase from the 2010 level and double the 2011 total, which showed a sharp drop in bonus.