Based on data from its first Business Outlook Survey, members of the Assn. of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters & Laminators (Ft. Mill, SC) believe that generally business will improve over the next six months. About 64 percent of respondents agree that business conditions will improve by late spring compared to October 2002.

Among the data: The index for new orders is up 45 percent, and shipments are up 52 percent. Additionally, forecasted unfilled orders show an increase of 14 percent. Based on the change between October's numbers and forecasted numbers, inventories will also begin to increase—rising by 4.5 percent.

Labor demand looks to improve over the next six months as well, AIMCAL says. The number of member companies who say they will hire more workers by next April rose by 34 percent.

The AIMCAL survey also features questions related to benefits costs for 2003. A great majority of respondents (84 percent) believe that their companies' benefits costs will rise next year. Nearly 22 percent are expecting an increase of more than 15 percent. An equal number expected the increase to range from 10-15 percent. Only about 7 percent expected benefits costs to decline.

Other data reinforce the idea that AIMCAL member companies expect an economic expansion soon. More than 27 percent forecast Member companies also reported an increase in the capital expenditures index from the current month to the forecasted period. The diffusion index for capital expenditures is forecasted to increase by about 27 percent. This increase also reinforces the idea that the member companies expect an economic expansion.