Extrusion Process Tracker & Forecaster
| Latest Month |
Previous Month |
Year Ago |
YTD % Change |
Annual % Change |
| 2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
| 200.7 |
184.6 |
239.7 |
-8.5 |
-9.5 |
-12.4 |
-8.0 |
Siding Business Index
Return to Extrusion Business Index
The Siding Business Index (1990=100) measures market demand for vinyl siding.
 The Siding Business Index decreased 16% in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This followed a 16% decline during the previous month.
This Index fell 13% during the second quarter of 2008 when compared with the same period of a year ago. This followed a drop of 4% in the first quarter. This Index will hit a cyclical bottom in the second half of 2008.
The total number of U.S. housing starts--a leading indicator of the siding market--dropped a precipitous 24% in 2007. In 2008, the forecast calls for another decline of 22%.
 Year-to-date spending for home alterations and repairs is down only about 5% so far in 2008. This is keeping siding demand from falling too rapidly.
There are two factors that account for the precipitous drop in recent demand for vinyl siding. The first is the cyclical downturn in residential construction activity. The other is the long-term market shift to other siding materials such as concrete.
After a decline of 12% in 2007, the average for our Siding Business Index is forecast to decrease 8% in 2008.
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