Steven Kline, Jr. Chief Data Officer

Steve is Chief Data Officer at Gardner Business Media, Inc., a family-owned business that produces media for durable goods manufacturing industries, including Modern Machine Shop, Production Machining, Additive Manufacturing, Products Finishing, Moldmaking Technology, Plastics Technology and Composites World magazines. He has produced forecasts for his family’s business and the metalworking and plastics industries. Steve has also been working on Gardner’s Capital Spending Survey, the Gardner Business Index, and Top Shops benchmarking survey since 2008. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BS in civil engineering and an MBA with an emphasis in finance from the University of Cincinnati. PRESS KIT

26 Oct 2021

Capacity Utilization Growing Faster Throughout Manufacturing

Year-over-year growth in durable goods capacity utilization was the strongest since September 2011. Every industry we track except automotive and wood/paper products was growing at an accelerating rate in September.

27 Sep 2021

Capacity Utilization Growth Widespread Across Manufacturing

The Gardner Intelligence team notes accelerating growth in all but two industries tracked, which is a positive sign for capital equipment consumption down the line.

20 Sep 2021

July Another Strong Month for Machine Tool Orders

Compared with one year ago, the GBI: Metalworking was 23.5% higher, which was the 13th consecutive month of growth. The strong growth in the metalworking industry should lead to accelerating growth in machine tool orders throughout 2021.

6 Jul 2021

Cutting Tool Orders Grow for First Time Since September 2019

The annual rate of change in the GBI: Metalworking grew at an accelerating rate for the third consecutive month.

15 Jun 2021

Money Supply Growth Slows in April

The month-over-month rate of growth in the money supply slowed for the second straight month, and the annual rate of growth slowed for the first time in 12 months. However, the annual rate of growth is the fastest ever outside of a few months during the Great Recession. This strong growth should lead to accelerating growth in capital equipment consumption for the remainder of 2021.

8 Jun 2021

March Cutting Tool Orders Highest in 13 Months

March cutting tool orders were $177.6 million, close to pre-lockdown level. GBI: Metalworking Index indicates cutting tool orders will increase through 2021.

23 Apr 2021

Pandemic Continues Machine Tool Industry Downturn, but U.S. Now a Top 4 Producer

While the machine tool market continues to fall globally, the fact that production exceeds consumption suggests that machine availability will be high as the world economy recovers. But signs also indicate that China’s increasingly diversified export market is a strategy to expand its influence over developing nations.

Basics 20 Apr 2021

Another Reason Machine Shop Ownership is Changing: Cheap Money

Once largely overlooked by investors, manufacturing businesses now present potentially attractive destinations for dollars seeking returns — and dollars are more available than ever before.

23 Mar 2021

Machine Tool Orders Start 2021 on a Positive Note

January machine tool unit orders grew 9.1%, marking the fourth month of growth in the last five months. Also, dollar orders grew for the third month in a row.

13 Feb 2021

Machine Tool Orders Boom in December 2020

Machine tool orders reached their highest level since September 2018 (the last in-person IMTS) and their highest level outside of an IMTS month in three years.

Five-Axis 4 Dec 2020

Survey Sees Machine Tool Buyers Seeking to Reduce Costs and Add Operational Flexibility

The 2021 Metalworking Capital Spending Survey from Gardner Intelligence shows overall purchasing declines but increased investment in higher-end machine tools such as turn-mill machines and five-axis machining centers.

14 Aug 2020

June 2020 A Strong Month for Machine Tool Orders

The month-over-month rate of contraction in machine tool unit and dollar orders slowed sharply in June. The annual rate of contraction may be near or at a bottom.