The fourth quarter 2018 Sales History & Outlook Report(SHOR) released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) indicates the average PTDA distributors’ index for total sales during 4Q18 was 5.4 percent higher compared to 2017. PTDA manufacturers’ index annual average was also strong, up 7.3 percent year over year in December. Leading indicators suggest the Index annual average will decline mildly in 2019. 

The 4Q2018 PTDA Business Indexmoved downward to a reading of 57.9 compared to the third quarter reading of 63.1 but still remains slightly above ISM’s U.S. Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) of 56.6. The overall trend indicates slowing growth ahead for PTDA member sales.