Industry Trends Data Shows Major Bounceback When Compared to 2020

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 May 2021 total dollar volume for pneumatic shipments is 100.5% 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, 91.3 (the May 2021 level of the industrial hydraulic series) indicates that industrial hydraulic orders received from June 2020 to May 2021 were 91.3% of the orders received from June 2019 to May 2020. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Total Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

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

Shipments – Cumulative year-to-date % change

*Preliminary data subject to revision. 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, May 2021 pneumatic shipments figure of 15.1 means that for the calendar year through May 2021, pneumatic shipments increased 15.1% compared to the same time-period in 2020.

Fluid Power Industry Growth Trend

The latest data published by the National Fluid Power Association shows industry shipments of fluid power products for May 2021 increased 32.7% when compared to May 2020, and but decreased 4.6% when compared to last month. Mobile hydraulic, industrial hydraulic and pneumatic shipments all jumped in between 20% and 35% in May 2021 when compared to May 2020, when indexes were dropping due to the onset of the COVID crisis. May 2021 shipment indexes have all slightly decreased from the April 2021 levels. 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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