According to the October 2007 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, business conditions will dip slightly during the next three months. The monthly report is an economic evaluation that samples over 159 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada.

“PMA members are considerably more positive today than they were one year ago, as reported in our October 2006 Business Conditions Report,” says William E. Gaskin, PMA president.

Though metalforming companies expect incoming orders to decrease slightly during the next three months, the number of companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff fell to eight percent in October, down from 11% in September. It’s currently at the lowest level since April of 2006.

“While expectations for current shipments are only modestly improved over one year ago, expectations for new orders over the next few months and the overall assessment of the general economy are substantially more positive than last year,” says Gaskin. For a complete copy of the monthly conditions report, visit www.pma.org/about/stats/BCreport.