Articles Tagged with ''economy''

According to the Metals Service Center Institute, year-over-year growth picked up slightly in the United States for both steel and aluminum in February.

MRC Global recently announced fourth-quarter and full-year 2013 results. The company’s sales increased 3% from $1.31 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012 to $1.34 billion in the same quarter of 2013.

ASA member wholesaler-distributors reported median sales growth of 1.8% for the month ending Feb. 28.

Although hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has engendered the possibility of shale-produced oil and natural gas, vaulting the United States into the world’s No. 1 spot in fossil-fuel production (oil, coal, natural gas), prestigious financial weekly Barron’s now estimates up to $1 trillion in capital-goods spending will be generated to make this happen by 2025.

AD recently reported record sales in 2013 of $28 billion.  

While the 2014 economic year is in its infancy, there are a number of positive factors indicating the current year will be the strongest comeback year since the end of the recent Great Recession and have the makeup of strong diversified economic elements.

In last month’s issue, a panel of leading PHCP executives made its feelings known on a variety of issues related to government regulation and how the current political climate is affecting the industry. In the second of this two-part series, the group delves into issues related to the everyday workings of its companies, including staff growth, e-commerce and attracting young talent into the industry.

Now more than ever, legislative and regulatory decisions play a major role in the way PHCP and PVF distributors conduct business. A blue-chip panel of distributors had plenty to say about that and many other hot-button topics during an exclusive roundtable interview conducted by Supply House Times and the American Supply Association during NetworkASA 2013 at the Renaissance Marriott DC Downtown Hotel in Washington.

It’s like the sign in certain bars announcing, “Free Beer Tomorrow.” Almost as whimsically, economists keep predicting a strong recovery in the last half of the coming year.

More and more, industry buzz indicates American manufacturing is trending in a positive direction. Pardon the cliché, but where’s the beef? The “Made in America” label is significant for manufacturers, distributors, designers and end-users. Products made in America almost always guarantee quality workmanship backed by manufacturers operating on U.S. soil.