Updated Industry Trends Report 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

Graph #1 Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments Industry Trends

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 January 2021 total dollar volume for pneumatic shipments are 96.1% of the average monthly dollar volume in 2018. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Pneumatic, Mobile and Industrial Hydraulic Orders Index

Graph #2 Pneumatic, Mobile, and Industrial Orders Indexes Industry Trends

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, 75.2 (the December 2020 level of the industrial hydraulic series) indicates that industrial hydraulic orders received from January 2020 to December 2020 were 75.2% of the orders received from January 2019 to December 2019. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Total Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

Graph #3 Total Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

This graph of 12‐month moving averages shows that in January 2021, both hydraulic shipments and pneumatic shipments decreased. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Shipments – Cumulative year-to-date % change (2020 vs. 2019)

Shipments – Cumulative year‐to ‐date % change Industry Trends

The table above is expressed in terms of cumulative percent changes. These changes refer to the percent difference between the relevant cumulative total for 2020 and the total for the same months in 2019. For example, December 2020 pneumatic shipments figure of ‐8.2 means that for the calendar year through December 2020, pneumatic shipments decreased 8.2% compared to the same time‐period in 2019. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Fluid Power Industry Growth Trend

The latest data published by the National Fluid Power Association shows industry shipments of fluid power products for January 2021 decreased 13.9% when compared to January 2020 and increased 5.4% when compared to last month. Mobile hydraulic, industrial hydraulic and pneumatic shipments decreased in January 2021 when compared to January 2020. Mobile hydraulic, industrial hydraulic and pneumatic shipments increased when compared to last month. These charts are drawn from data collected from more than 80 manufacturers of fluid power products in 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.

Recent Posts

Connecting NFPA Members with Emerging Talent: Meet Kyla Olson

We’re excited to share a new onboarding video from Kyla Olson, one of NFPA’s Workforce Program and Event Managers. In this video, Kyla highlights the many ways she can help members connect with the next generation of fluid power professionals. Kyla is dedicated to assisting NFPA members in engaging with university engineering students, particularly those…

Read More about Connecting NFPA Members with Emerging Talent: Meet Kyla Olson

NFPA to Present Advanced Hydraulics Conference at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026

The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) will convene and co-locate an advanced hydraulics conference for off-highway vehicle and other fluid power engineers at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, to be held March 3-7, 2026, in Las Vegas, NV. CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the international gathering place every three years for the construction industries, focusing on construction, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete. The event features exhibits of the…

Read More about NFPA to Present Advanced Hydraulics Conference at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026

Survey Results on Preventing Leaks – Now Available for NFPA Members

A new publication, 2024 NFPA Preventing Leaks Survey Results, has been published by the National Fluid Power Association. As defined in the 2023 NFPA Technology Roadmap, there are many machine-level technology trends that are actively shaping the future of the fluid power industry. These trends include the increasing electrification, connectivity, and autonomous functionality of both the…

Read More about Survey Results on Preventing Leaks – Now Available for NFPA Members