Technology Review and Sourcing Guide for Your Investment Decisions

Our monthly Gardner Business Index indicates that future capital spending plans continue to rise. This is a very positive sign that the moldmaking industry is entering the next “up cycle” in capital equipment spending. On top of that, the Purchasing Managers Index shows a significant upswing in manufacturing activity, based on new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment. Then, according to the first-quarter 2017 OESA/Harbour Results Inc. (HRI) Barometer, a quarterly study of the mold and die industry that assessed 74 tool shops, capacity among mold shops was the highest it has been since the study started in 2015, work-on-hold levels dropped, and the general business outlook was higher than it was at the end of 2016. All of this fuels the potential for a strong 2017 and a marketplace of growth opportunities, if shops are aware and prepared. That includes prepared with technology to improve efficiencies, reduce manufacturing and development costs, and increase quality.

This means the timing couldn’t be better for MoldMaking Technology’s annual Technology Review and Sourcing Guide. This issue serves as the perfect companion to decision-making for your next technology investment, upgrade, alternative process or new strategy, or for just shopping around. Its accurate, comprehensive, easy-to-read and easy-to-use data on today’s equipment, products and services will ease your research.

This printed guide and online database offer more than 1,000 manufacturers, distributors and suppliers in more than 200 product and service categories you use every day. To keep this information current, MoldMaking Technology surveys and updates its supplier database every spring with the latest company contact information and product/service offerings.

This guide includes a portion of that database, alongside special tips and technology reviews published throughout the past year. Each of the 10 sections includes key supplier profiles preceding a sourcing grid tailored to match suppliers with their respective product/service offerings (advertisers are noted in boldface type), followed by technical product and service items, and a tip article.

The data withh n this year’s condensed grids appears in its entirety online at moldmakingtechnology.com/suppliers. We encourage you to continue your search for even more of the latest in supplier and product information by visiting the various zones at moldmakingtechnology.com.

We hope you use this annual guide during your purchasing process. Please contact us at 513-338-2187 or via email at cfuges@gardnerweb.com with any comments and/or feedback.