Testing services growth slowing down.

Testing services growth slowing down Questions about the economy surfaced in Rubber Wordl's annual survey of the testing and analysis suppliers to the rubber industry. Many of the respondents from both the Independent Test Labs group and the suppliers of instrumentation and testing equipment indicated they felt the overall U.S. economy would affect their rubber industry results. Even though only 8% of the ITLs and 12% of the machinery suppliers predicted a decline of activity, only 31% of each group were counting on increased business in 1991. This is the first time in five surveys that less than 50% of the survey respondents predicted growth. The majority of both groups feel business will level off in 1991. Both groups said 1990 was a good year with 66% of the ITL's and 68% of the equipment suppliers indicating that rubber industry business increased.

Another trend emerging from the survey shows a marked increase in business related to environmental testing services, analysis and testing equipment. Many of the ITLs indicated much of their work is environmentally related, while the equipment suppliers said much of their rubber industry business is with environmental testing equipment.