Architectural Woodworkers Reveal Improved Operating Margins

Potomac Falls, VA – Overall sentiment among architectural woodworkers about the next six months is high (83%), according to respondents to AWI’s Cost of Doing Business Survey recently completed in a new electronic format by the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI).

The survey results suggest an improving environment among architectural woodwork business owners. Another positive sign revealed by the 2013 AWI Cost of Doing Business Survey and Compensation Study Report is that the sales pipeline sentiment for the next six months (95%) is higher than the last six months (78%). Business Sentiment is affected by business condition, sales pipeline, cash flow and labor quality.

Contrary to other years, business condition sentiment is favorable (74%). And, high profit firms are more optimistic than other respondents (80%). The survey found that high profit manufacturing firms (of all amounts of square footage) have operating margins of 14% compared with the average operating margin of respondents of 3.8%.

Capital investments are up in the last 12 months. Thirty-nine percent of high profit firms invested $100,000 or more in the last 12 months compared with 27% of respondents overall who invested more than $100,000 in the last 12 months. And, the investment outlook for the next 12 month period revealed that 21% of high profit firms plan on investing $100,000 or more in the next year, which is down from 25% in 2012. And, 36% of respondents plan on increasing their workforce by 10% or more in the next 12 months.

Among the manufacturing respondents to the 2013 AWI Cost of Doing Business Survey, 53% have been in business 25 or more years, 38% have annual revenues in excess of $5 million, 45% have 30 or more employees, and 30% outsource their installation completely to contractors.

The 2013 AWI Cost of Doing Survey and Compensation Study Report is free of charge to all participating AWI Manufacturing Members, while non-participating AWI Manufacturing Members receive a complimentary Executive Summary. Single copy prices are: $195 for non-participating AWI Manufacturing Members; $595 for all others. Contact AWI at 571.323.3636 or visit www.awinet.org for more details.

Survey Methodology

All business trends and other data are as of April 1, 2013. All Income Statement data and Balance Sheet data submitted is of the end of the respondent’s most recent fiscal year (generally 12/31/12). All financial ratio benchmarks are medians. The survey was conducted for AWI by Inverra Consulting, Inc.

About AWI

The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1953. Today, AWI represents nearly 4000 members consisting of architectural woodworkers, suppliers, design professionals and students from around the world.

Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute

 

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