May US manufacturing survey data
- Prior was 61.5
- Prices paid 88.0 vs 89.0 expected (89.6 prior)
- New orders 67.0 vs 64.3 prior
- Employment 50.9 vs 55.1 prior
- Production 58.5 vs 62.5
- Customer inventories 28.0 vs 28.4
The comments in the report highlight how capacity restrains are holding back manufacturing.
- "Supplier performance - deliveries, quality, it's all suffering. Demand is high, and we are struggling to find employees to help us keep up." [Computer & Electronic Products]
- "Changes in currency exchange rates favorably contributed to our quarterly performance. Continued strong consumer demand for our high-quality products also provided increased sales." [Chemical Products]
- "Ongoing component shortages are driving dual sourcing and longer-term supply plans to be implemented." [Transportation Equipment]
- "Difficulty finding workers at the factory and warehouse level is not only impacting our production, but suppliers' as well: Spot shortages and delays are common due to an inability to staff lines. Delays at the port continue to strain inventory levels." [Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products]
- "[A] lack of qualified candidates to fill both open office and shop positions is having a negative impact on production throughput. Challenges mounting for meeting delivery dates to customers due to material and services shortages and protracted lead times. This situation does not look to improve until possibly the fourth quarter of 2021 or beyond." [Fabricated Metal Products]
- "Labor shortages impacting internal and supplier production. Logistics performance is terrible." [Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components]
- "Business is good, but labor and raw materials are becoming very problematic, driving increases in costs." [Furniture & Related Products]
- "The continued global supply chain tightness and raw material shortages from the Gulf (winter storms) make it less likely that any business can recover this year. Demand is strong, but what good is that if you cannot get the materials needed to produce your finished goods?" [Nonmetallic Mineral Products]
- "Seeing a high demand and backlog of orders." [Plastics & Rubber Products]
- "Very busy, but still experiencing labor shortages." [Primary Metals]
