With all of the information regarding American manufacturing in the news going into 2014, people are feeling optimistic regarding the industry and wondering what the growth of manufacturing that we saw in December of 2013 means for business.

Here at Aeromet, we are watching the trends closely and making sure that we are doing all we can to contribute toward moving our industry in the right direction. We finished 2013 with higher numbers than we had budgeted for and our gross sales were also higher than anticipated.

During the holiday season, there was a slight dip in orders which is typical for that time of year. However, what has been a great sign for us is that there has been a lot of large project quoting. Since projects like these typically have to go through a rigorous approval process which may take some time, we are hoping to see these quotes convert into products. If and when they do, we will be operating within the current trend in our industry. In other words, we will be in great position!

One industry that we are keeping a close watch over is the automotive sector. As Ford proved with their new innovative and lightweight F-150, there will be a positive effect on aluminum and carbon steel, meaning the metal industry will benefit and make its way to us.

There are so many positive signs regarding American manufacturing in 2014 and we can't wait to see how it turns out.