The Canadian Manufacturers’ Outlook is a survey conducted, on a yearly basis,The latest edition of the survey report is fresh off the press. The findings - based on 526 replies from senior manufacturing executives (margin of error +/- 4.27%, 19 times out of 20) - show that 36% of the respondents are optimistic although most (55%) qualify their optimism with caution.
More than half of the senior executives are expecting orders and sales to increase (by an average 15% and 16%); but costs will also increase (by 9%). Pricing will stay the same for 55% but 33% expect increases (of 8%). Forty-two per cent see profits rising an average of 13%.
Pricing and costs top the list of challenges for 50% of respondents, followed by increasing sales (48%), economic conditions (45%) and the value of the loonie (42%).
Caution is evident by their intentions to invest. Sixty-six per cent don’t know how much they’ll invest in machinery, equipment or technology in 2017, and 72% are unsure about investments in their facilities. But 60% expect to invest in training and 55% in machinery, equipment and technology over the next three years.
Only 33% are concerned about entering new markets and 37% don’t export at all. Most (86%) are doing the bulk of their business in North America, 62% of it in Canada.
A complimentary copy of the complete Canadian Manufacturers’ Outlook report can be downloaded at the following link.
For further information on this initiative, please contact toronto [at] machinesitalia.org (subject: Machines%20Italia%20E-newsletter)