Rosslyn, VA- The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) reported Nov. 4 that its Primary Industrial Control Index and Primary Industrial Control and Adjustable Speed Drives Index improved slightly for 3Q02 over the same quarter a year earlier. The indexes consist of data collected by NEMA's Industrial Automation Control Products and Systems Section.

NEMA Industrial Control Business Indices are issued quarterly by NEMA in two versions. The Primary Industrial Control Index represents U.S. orders for motor starters, contractors, terminal blocks, control circuit devices, motor control centers, sensors, programmable controllers and other control devices, Inditiated in 1991, the Primary Industrial Control and Adjustable Speed Drives Index provides a broader measure of the industrial control marketplace.

'Even as they improved relative to last year, in both cases the indexes actually lost some ground compared to 2Q02, which serves to highlight the rapid declines these industries experienced throughout 2001.' says Steve Wilcox, NEMA's economics director.

The Primary Industrial Control Index value of 77.3 represents a 3.5% decline from 2Q02 to 3Q02, but translates into a razor-thin growth of 0.4% over 3Q01.

Compared to 2Q02, the Primary Industrial Control and Adjustable Speed Drives Index dipped just 0.6%. Coming in at a value of 99.6, the index for 3Q02 posted a solid 3.3% gain over the same period last year. Strength in the adjustable speed drive sector clearly boosted this measure relative to the Primary Industrial Control Index.

Industrial control equipment, a $2.6 billion U.S. market, is primarily used in industrial applications for the control or regulation of power utilization apparatus, including motors. This index represents monthly sales information collected by NEMA from its members, the major industrial control manufacturers in the U.S. market. Data underlying these indices represent more than 90% of U.S. sales of this equipment.