Distributors are not immune to all the new technology buzzwords that are floating around business conversations these days—big data, robotics, AI, the cloud—and, like everyone else, they are wondering how their roles and jobs might be affected.

Elsewhere in this edition of AMT News, there are summaries and articles on my outlook presented to IMTS exhibitors, Alan Beaulieu’s outlook presented at EASTEC, and Bill Strauss’s update presented to the MTForecast community. It really doesn’t make sense to give a fourth dose of the same news. The U.S. manufacturing landscape continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace. This development, in conjunction with concerns about trade policy impacts on exports, points to a decline in manufacturing technology orders in 2019 over 2018. 

Since my last report, the U.S.-China trade negotiations that were widely expected to move forward suffered a serious setback. President Trump, unhappy with the progress, directed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to increase tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on products covered by the September 2018 action resulting from current 301 investigation into China’s unfair trade practices. He also proposed a new round of tariffs if China refuses to honor commitments made over the course of the negotiations. 

Whether you are looking to hire a summer intern to help with social media or are one of many members looking for skilled workers, this article is for you.