America is Chugging Along

Sometimes, I think to myself, that I'd rather jump into a pool with live hair dryers than listen to another White House official or DC politician give another doom and gloom  talk about how the U.S. is in the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Because American industry is actually chugging along, despite all the banana peels thrown in its path from D.C. (banana peels which have contributed to the stalled out labor market).

By the way, wasn't Reagan talking about "morning in America" by this time during his first term, which saw a terrible banking crisis and economic downturn? Yes, the phrase can elicit a diabetic coma.

But still, where's the D.C. talk that this country has powerful sectors that are leading the world, including technology, health and education services, as well as a manufacturing base nearly a third larger than the one in China?

And did you know that many industries are seeing a recovery in sales? A research team led by marketing manager Jackie Peluso at Sageworks, a research provider of private company financial analysis and economic trend data in Raleigh, N.C., crunched the sales growth numbers for the recent 12-months period and found lots of surprises.

Sageworks, run by one of the smartest, sharpest guys in the room, Brian Hamilton, found that of 172 industries examined over the recent 12 months period, only 17 saw sales declines while the remainder posted a positive gain.

It adds: In the recent period, 90% of industries have manage to grow revenues, while only 10.11% have continued to post negative sales figures.

Overall Sageworks says it has seen a strong rebound in manufacturing as the industry gained considerable strength over the latter half of last year. It notes, though that manufacturing is showing recent weakness as factory orders have declined.

Building equipment contractors, cement companies and residential builders remain in the red, dragged down over the last year as housing has seen little recovery, Sageworks adds. Sageworks Senior Analyst James Adams notes that housing has led us out of previous recessions, but this time the paradigm is not holding.

Check out this data, industry name first, then revenue sales growth covering the 12 months from May 2010 to May 2011:

Forging and Stamping 25.61% Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers 23.28% Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 20.91% Machine Shops; Turned Product,Nut and Bolt Manufacturing 20.13% Support Activities for Mining 20.03% Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers 19.20% Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities 19.10% Forestry and Logging 18.76% Technical and Trade Schools 17.16% Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 16.58% Other Crop Farming 16.33% Scientific Research and Development Services 16.22% Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers 16.05% Cattle Ranching and Farming 16.03% Freight Transportation Arrangement 15.90% Automobile Dealers 15.84% Motor Vehicle and Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 15.66% Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 15.57% Sawmills and Wood Preservation 15.36% Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers 15.29% Oil and Gas Extraction 15.23% General Freight Trucking 14.67% Fruit and Tree Nut Farming 14.55% Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 14.48% Plastics Product Manufacturing 14.23% Employment Services 13.99% Gasoline Stations 13.99% Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 13.87% Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing 13.85% Other Support Services 13.57% Rubber Product Manufacturing 12.88% Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing 12.71% Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 12.39% Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 12.27% Home Health Care Services 12.08% Other Personal Services 11.99% Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel 11.04% Specialized Design Services 10.79% Educational Support Services 10.52% Other Food Manufacturing 10.36% Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 10.29% Specialized Freight Trucking 10.24% Beverage Manufacturing 10.24% Outpatient Care Centers 10.10% Other Financial Investment Activities 9.97% Industrial Machinery Manufacturing 9.94% Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 9.82% Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers 9.79% Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance 9.57% Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 9.46% Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 9.24% Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 9.22% Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, andRefrigeration Equipment Manufacturing 9.00% Computer Systems Design and Related Services 8.94% Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 8.87% Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 8.83% Software Publishers 8.22% Support Activities for Road Transportation 8.17% Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 8.10% Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers 7.80% Special Food Services 7.79% Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 7.74% Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers 7.66% Other Telecommunications 7.58% Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 7.55% Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 7.44% Printing and Related Support Activities 7.43% Grocery and Related Product Wholesalers 7.29% Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 7.24% Nondepository Credit Intermediation 7.22% Waste Collection 6.94% Business Support Services 6.69% Advertising and Related Services 6.60% Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 6.59% Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 6.48% Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 6.39% Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Stores 6.34% Furniture Stores 6.28% Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 6.23% Consumer Goods Rental 6.20% Direct Selling Establishments 5.84% Other Wood Product Manufacturing 5.54% Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 5.53% Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing 5.53% Other Motor Vehicle Dealers 5.50% Other Information Services 5.45% Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance 5.45% Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry 5.45% Specialty Food Stores 5.37% Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 5.32% Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages Merchant Wholesalers 5.32% Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 5.19% Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage 5.17% Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 5.05% Automotive Repair and Maintenance 5.01% Nursing Care Facilities 4.95% Traveler Accommodation 4.94% Individual and Family Services 4.83% Clothing Stores 4.77% Water, Sewage, and Other Systems 4.72% Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers 4.70% Residential Mental Retardation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities 4.70% General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 4.52% Death Care Services 4.35% Religious Organizations 4.25% Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers 4.18% Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping and Payroll Services 4.16% Management of Companies and Enterprises 4.04% Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers 4.02% Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores 3.89% Services to Buildings and Dwellings 3.88% Activities Related to Real Estate 3.72% Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 3.70% Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3.68% Health and Personal Care Stores 3.68% Utility System Construction 3.49% Other Schools and Instruction 3.43% Child Day Care Services 3.35% Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance 3.20% Furniture and Home Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers 3.19% Grocery Stores 3.10% Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing 3.10% Full-Service Restaurants 3.02% Legal Services 2.99% Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 2.95% Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 2.92% Community Care Facilities for the Elderly 2.80% Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing 2.73% Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 2.73% Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores 2.69% Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 2.56% Offices of Physicians 2.49% Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses 2.47% Building Material and Supplies Dealers 2.38% Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 2.27% Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Stores 2.25% Oilseed and Grain Farming 1.95% Activities Related to Credit Intermediation 1.90% Home Furnishings Stores 1.87% - Limited-Service Eating Places 1.81% Lessors of Real Estate 1.72% Offices of Dentists 1.54% Elementary and Secondary Schools 1.48% Insurance Carriers 1.44% Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing 1.41% Depository Credit Intermediation 1.40% Personal Care Services 1.31% Civic and Social Organizations 1.27% Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 0.93% Other Specialty Trade Contractors 0.93% Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 0.88% Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production 0.22% Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Stores 0.17% Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing 0.15% Drycleaning and Laundry Services 0.07% Electronics and Appliance Stores 0.00% Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing -0.48% Building Equipment Contractors -0.51% Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing -0.62% Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers -0.68% Residential Building Construction -1.85% Investigation and Security Services -1.87% Warehousing and Storage -1.96% Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories -2.10% Building Finishing Contractors -2.16% Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing -2.51% Other General Merchandise Stores -2.94% Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services -3.19% Nonresidential Building Construction -3.74% Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors -4.17% Motion Picture and Video Industries -5.69% Land Subdivision -12.49%