The report was issued on Monday by Norbert J. Ore, CPSM, CPM, chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. "The manufacturing sector grew for the ninth consecutive month during April. The rate of growth as indicated by the PMI is the fastest since June 2004 when the index hit 60.5 percent. Manufacturers continue to see extraordinary strength in new orders, as the New Orders Index has averaged 61.6 percent for the past 10 months. The signs for employment in the sector continue to improve as the Employment Index registered its fifth consecutive month of growth. Overall, the recovery in manufacturing continues quite strong, and the signs are positive for continued growth."
The report found that 17 of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth in April. No industries have reported contraction.