Manufacturing Weakness Weighs On Hiring Decisions
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
According to the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM), persistent softness in U.S. manufacturing contin- ued to weigh on employment and production through late summer, as new data pointed to slower activity, cautious hiring, and mixed global conditions. Job openings in the manufacturing sector fell by 29,000 in August to 409,000, bringing the job openings rate down to 3.1 percent from 3.3 percent in July and 3.5 percent a year earlier. The hires rate held steady at 2.4 percent, while the separations rate edged up to 2.5 per- cent. Although layoffs and discharges rose slightly as quits declined, turnover in manufacturing remains below the broader nonfarm average, suggesting that most firms are retaining existing workers while holding off on new hires. Manufacturing activity continued to contract in Septem- ber, though at a slower pace. The Institute for Supply Man- agement’s Manufacturing PMI registered 49.1 percent, up modestly from 48.7 percent in August but still below the 50 percent threshold that signals expansion. Of the four key demand indicators, only the Backlog of Orders Index improved, rising to 46.2 percent. The New Orders, New Export Orders, and Customers’ Inventories indexes all contracted further, underscoring weaker de- mand and lingering uncertainty. Many respondents cited tariff-related costs and cautious customer spending as fac- tors dampening outlooks. Globally, factory activity was largely unchanged. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI inched down to 50.8 percent from 50.9 percent, remaining just above the expansion mark. Output and new orders increased for the second consecutive month, but export demand declined for the sixth month in a row. Rising inventories of finished goods may indicate that production gains are being driven more by stockpiling than by stronger underlying demand. Meanwhile, the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI paint- ed a somewhat brighter picture of U.S. activity. The index measured 52.0 in September, down slightly from 53.0 in August but still signaling growth. New orders rose for the ninth consecutive month, though at a slower pace, while tariffs continued to pressure exports—particularly to Can- ada and Mexico—and contributed to higher input and out- put costs. Still, output price inflation eased to its weakest level since January, and modest production gains helped lift inventories for a second straight month. In the broader economy, total job openings rose slight- ly to 7.2 million in August, up 19,000 from July but down 422,000 from the previous year. The national job open- ings rate held at 4.3 percent, suggesting a labor market that has cooled to pre-pandemic levels yet remains histor- ically tight. Manufacturers continue to take a cautious approach heading into year-end, balancing soft demand and higher costs with efforts to maintain stability in their workforces.
CORRUGATED REPLACEMENTS, INC. www.corrugatedparts.com
Corrugated Replacements, Inc. is a production powerhouse that manufactures high quality machine parts and replace- ment parts for the corrugated and paperboard converting industries. CRI can redesign, engineer, and manufacture any part while providing a rapid turn-around rate, keeping machines running at their peak performance and limiting down time.
C.U.E., INC. www.AnvilCovers.com
Makers of single and dual-width Timesaver® Anvil Covers, the premier urethane anvil cover for corrugated die cutting. Timesaver® covers feature construction of solid steel back- ing and solid steel locking components to ensure a precise fit every time. C.U.E., Inc. also offers Dura-Latch and Cor- Lock anvil covers, and urethane Lead Edge Feed Wheels.
EMBA www.embausa.com
The EMBA group supports a complete line of corrugated converting machinery for the worldwide market. EMBA’s Quick Set technology enables the highest productivity across a broad range of converting equipment, from mini to super jumbo. EMBA also includes the McKinley jumbo line of flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters as well as ser- vice, rebuilds and upgrades for both EMBA and McKinley.
EAGLEWOOD TECHNOLOGIES, LLC www.eaglewoodtech.com
Eaglewood Technologies offers trusted cleaning technolo- gies for the world’s best printers and converters. Solutions include the award winning Sitexco+ Anilox Laser System, the Nanovis Parts Washing System, the Sitexco L10 Label System, the innovative Sanilox™ System or Alphasonics solutions. We also offer Xpress™ mobile cleaning service at your facility or ours. ESKO www.esko.com ArtiosCAD and Kongsberg are the most trusted names in CAD/CAM solutions. Esko’s ArtiosCAD is the most widely used CAD software in the world. Esko’s Kongsberg series of tables brings you reliable, outstanding quality for sample- making and short run production.
DOMINO www.dominodigitalprinting.com
Domino is a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions. Celebrating its 44th year, Domino is headquartered in the UK and North America headquarters are Illinois. Domino has 25 subsid- iaries, representation in over 120 countries, and over 2,900 employees worldwide .
www.boardconvertingnews.com
26
October 13, 2025
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting