Housing starts also up — in the low double digits — compared to year-ago period and the previous month, according to the latest residential construction report from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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MDM offers a preview of how distributors fared in the last quarter of 2020, along with a roundup of the latest economic reports showing that the recovery is happening, just slowly.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments and inventories for November increased 1.5% from the same month last year.
According to the Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization Report, manufacturing output increased 0.9% during the month; year-to-date industrial production has improved but is still 3.6% below its pre-pandemic level.
Indian River Consulting Group’s (IRCG) weekly Pandemic Revenue Index for the work week of Jan. 4 to Jan. 8 increased 18.4% — the third straight week of double-digit growth and a strong start to the new year.
But new orders placed in November marked a 13.3% decrease from the previous month, according to the most recent U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report.
Two case studies showcase how distributors are succeeding with technology upgrades and new organizational plans that put their businesses in a strong position entering 2021. Learn how the latest automation technology is improving performance and altering employee perspectives at Allied Electronics, and take a page from the benefits of advanced planning found at ACR Supply.
Wholesale trade shows slight decline from same month in 2019 but up slightly from the previous month of October, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) for December was 62.6, up from 54.5 in November.
Increase of manufactured durable goods for the month is the seventh in a row after two decreases during the height of the coronavirus crisis.
Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $73.6 billion, or 13.9%, from the same period in 2019.
Indian River Consulting Group’s (IRCG) weekly Pandemic Revenue Index for the work week of Dec. 28, 2020, to Jan. 1, 2021, increased 21.3%, in part because of a favorable comparison with last year’s holiday schedule.
Association also reports that the average annual sales growth for the 12 months through November 2020 for HARDI distributors is 3.2%.
The December PMI registered 60.7%, an increase of 3.2% from the November reading of 57.5% and an eighth consecutive month of expansion.
The November figure also showed a 0.9% improvement from the revised October estimate; year to date, construction spending is up 4.4%.
Three of MDM’s five most-read blogs published last month focused on e-commerce and digital, while the tenuous economic situation plus Ferguson’s 2021 forecast also grabbed readers’ attention.
The U.S. Census Bureau has released advance indicators showing that the international trade deficit and wholesale inventories moved in opposite directions in November.
Indian River Consulting Group’s (IRCG) weekly Pandemic Revenue Index for the work week of Dec. 21-25 increased 18.2%, in part because of a favorable comparison with last year’s Christmas week.
This issue of MDM Premium focuses on ways for distributors to strengthen your digital presence, beginning with a focus on your customer’s journey through your e-commerce platforms and websites.
Increase of manufactured durable goods is the seventh in a row following growth since May; this period was preceded by two decreases during the height of the coronavirus crisis.
