There is always lots of economic data around and you can get a very different understanding depending on which set you look at. One set which came out this week is the European Performance of Manufacturing Index, and it tells an interesting tale - one that is very relevant to materials handling.
The overall March PMI was little changed from February, but there some telling regional changes. Most importantly, Europe's "high achievers" including Germany and Austria saw slight declines, but at the other end of the market, we saw Ireland notch up a 35-month high, Spain hit a new 47-month high, while Italy showed its best performance in two months and France also gained.
Economists are buoyed by the positive trend for the region, noting growing order books, but there is some concern about falling prices and the risk of slowing production.
Forklift production is, of course, a part of the overall manufacturing activity in Europe, but it is also an important part of the production and distribution chain, so our audience is doubly watchful of the trends.