Latest Industry Trends Data Now Available

As many of you may know, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) is the leading source of hydraulic and pneumatic industry data. Members get and use our data in a variety of ways to run their businesses. Part of our market information services is providing overall industry trends. Here is the latest update:

Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

This graph of raw index data is generated by the total dollar volume reported to NFPA by CSS participants and compared to the average monthly dollar volume in 2018. For example, the August 2021 total dollar volume for pneumatic shipments is 104.1% of the average monthly dollar volume in 2018. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Pneumatic, Mobile and Industrial Hydraulic Orders Index

Each point on this graph represents the most recent 12 months of orders compared to the previous 12 months of orders. Each point can be read as a percentage. For example, 112.9 (the August 2021 level of the industrial hydraulic series) indicates that industrial hydraulic orders received from September 2020 to August 2021 were 112.9% of the orders received from September 2019 to August 2020. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Total Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

This graph of 12-month moving averages shows that in August 2021, the moving average for shipments increased across the board. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Shipments – Cumulative year-to-date % change

The table above is expressed in terms of cumulative percent changes. These changes refer to the percent difference between the relevant cumulative total for 2021 and the total for the same months in 2020. For example, August 2021 pneumatic shipments figure of 17.1 means that for the calendar year through August 2021, pneumatic shipments increased 17.1% compared to the same time period in 2020.

*Preliminary data subject to revision.

Fluid Power Industry Growth Trend

The latest data published by the National Fluid Power Association shows the 12-month moving averages of shipments for pneumatic, hydraulic and total fluid power continue to grow. These averages have been growing at a steady rate since February of this year. Year-to-date percent changes for fluid power continue to grow with a 17.7% change in August 2021. Mobile hydraulic orders received from September 2020 to August 2021 are currently 137.3% of the orders received from September 2019 to August 2020. When looking at raw index data, mobile hydraulic and pneumatic shipments are both up from last month while industrial hydraulics remains the same. These charts are drawn from data collected from more than 80 manufacturers of fluid power products by NFPA’s Confidential Shipment Statistics (CSS) program. Much more information is available to NFPA members, which allows them to better understand trends and anticipate change in their market and the customer markets they serve. Contact NFPA at (414) 778-3344 for more info.

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