Fluid power shipments declined again in March as the impact of coronavirus-related showdowns accelerated a drop in shipments that began during the global tariff wars a year ago. The data compiled by the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) shows that March shipments decreased 13.2% when compared with March 2019 but increased 1.2% compared with February 2020.
The only good news for the sector is that NFPA data shows increases in both mobile hydraulics and in pneumatics. But all three indexes are down sharply from 2019 levels.
For example, the March mobile hydraulics shipment levels peaked in early 2018 and have plunged about 60% over the past two years. Shipments for industrial hydraulics and pneumatics have seen less-severe drops.
Total fluid power shipments year-to-date are down significantly across the board, with the hydraulics sector especially hard-hit. Hydraulics shipments have been off by double-digit amounts in the first two months of 2020 compared with 2019, which was before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold on a global basis.
The survey is compiled through data from more than 80 manufacturers of fluid power products. For more information, go to www.nfpa.com.