Manufactured goods orders drop 1.6%
New orders for manufactured goods in January, down two of the last three months, decreased $8.9 billion or 1.6 percent to $542.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. This followed a 1.7 percent December increase.
Shipments, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $3.8 billion or 0.7 percent to $547.8 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent December decrease. Unfilled orders, up twenty- nine consecutive months, increased $0.3 billion or virtually unchanged to $1,157.0 billion. This followed a 1.1 percent December increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.07, up from 6.06 in December.
Inventories, up five consecutive months, increased $0.4 billion or virtually unchanged to $808.3 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent December increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.48, down from 1.49 in December.
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in January, down two of the last three months, decreased $12.8 billion or 4.5 percent to $272.4 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 5.1 percent December increase. Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, drove the decrease, $14.2 billion or 13.3 percent to $92.8 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $3.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $270.4 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in January, down following sixteen consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $277.4 billion, up from the previously published 0.1 percent decrease. This followed a 0.4 percent December increase. Transportation equipment, down following ten consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.6 billion or 1.7 percent to $92.2 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $3.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $270.4 billion. This followed a 1.7 percent December decrease. Petroleum and coal products, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $2.9 billion or 5.1 percent to $58.8 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in January, up twenty-nine consecutive months, increased $0.3 billion or virtually unchanged to $1,157.0 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 1.1 percent December increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty-three of the last twenty-four months, drove the increase, $0.7 billion or 0.1 percent to $684.6 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in January, down following 23 consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $493.3 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 0.7 percent December increase. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $158.3 billion.
Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.7 billion or 0.2 percent to $315.0 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent December decrease. Food products, up seventeen of the last eighteen months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.5 percent to $64.8 billion. By stage of fabrication, January materials and supplies increased 0.4 percent in durable goods and decreased 0.6 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 1.1 percent in durable goods and increased 2.1 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods increased 0.6 percent in durable goods and 0.2 percent in nondurable goods.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Joyce Lansdale and Vallen. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and David Kahle, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
