OEM coatings shipments for the first half of 2001 were significantly higher than the same period in 2000, which was better than 1999. Finishers are more optimistic than in recent years. Editor Mike Greissel reports the results of Industrial Paint & Powder’s 15th annual Finishing Market Survey.
Despite 2001’s soft economy and the events of September 11, finishers responding to Industrial Paint & Powder’s 2002 Finishing Market Survey are generally predicting that operating levels will not change much in 2002 compared to last year, or that they will increase. In fact, they were slightly more optimistic about business prospects for 2002 when polled in October 2001 than they were about prospects when polled around the same time in 1999 and 2000, according to the 15th annual survey.
Nearly 88% of respondents said operating levels would be about the same as last year’s (44.7%) or higher than last year’s (42.8%). About 12% said operating levels would decline. While the percentage of finishers who expect more business in 2002 is lower than the last couple of years and the percentage of finishers who expect less business is higher, the percentage of finishers expecting the same amount of business is consistent with the last two years’ surveys.