Business activity in March was strong for manufacturer and distributor members of the Industrial Supply Association, according to the latest ISA Economic Indicators Report.

The report showed manufacturer activity in March at 66 percent compared to 63.2 percent the previous month and the distributor index at 65 percent compared to 59.2 percent in February. During the same period, the purchasing manager index increased from 53.2 to 53.7. The indexes have been above 50 percent since December 2012.

“The quarter ended on a positive note for ISA members,” said Bryon Shafer, general manager of ASG Industrial and chairman of ISA’s strategic information committee. “Our members anticipate that business will remain strong, as the new orders index and the business conditions index showed improvement from the previous month.”

For each index, a reading above 50 percent indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 percent indicates contraction.