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Latest Month	Previous Month	Year Ago	YTD % Change	Annual % Change
				2007	2008	2009
146.8	124.6	145.5	-11.8	-1.6	-11.8	-2.0

Injection Molding Business Index

Data Source: Mountaintop Economics & Research, Inc
Last Updated: March 2009

The Injection Molding Business Index (1990=100) measures market demand for injection molded parts. It is a leading indicator of future demand for injection molds, tooling, and injection molding machinery. It is also an indicator of overall U.S. economic activity.

After several months of severe declines, the Injection Molding Business Index held steady in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This is mainly attributable to the weakness in last year's data rather than strength in this month's figures, and it follows a sharp 25% decline in the previous month.

This Index is expected to hit a cyclical bottom in the first few months of 2009. After several months of consolidation, the trend is expected to begin a rebound in the fourth quarter of 2009.

When compared with the previous year, this Index descended 18% during the fourth quarter of 2008 after a 16% decline in the third quarter.

The U.S. economy will experience below-average growth through the first three quarters of 2009. This will curb demand for injection molded products in the near-term, but U.S. manufacturing activity will start to regain momentum in late-2009 and early-2010.

We have pushed out the starting point for the next recovery phase of the manufacturing business cycle. After an annual decline of 12% in 2008, the average for our Injection Molding Business Index is forecast to fall 2% in 2009.