The April ISA Economic Indicator Report from the Industrial Supply Association indicated accelerating growth in March for Distributors but a slight softening for Manufacturers.

"The ISA Distributor Index rose from 63.4 in February to 66.8 in March, while the Manufacturer Index slipped from 62.5 in February to 62.2 in March," said Bryon Shafer, general manager of ASG Industrial and chairman of ISA’s strategic information committee.

For each index, a reading above 50 percent indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 percent indicates contraction. The indexes have been above 50 percent since December 2012.

“This is the third straight month of growth for ISA Distributor members,” Shafer said. “While growth slowed slightly for manufacturer members during the month, the economic expansion is still going strong.”