GBI returns in strength with a January expansion
Several key components powered the Index’s strongest reading in more than three years.
The Composites Fabricating Index rocketed into expansion with a 52.3 January reading. Source (All Images) | GROW Industrial Intelligence
The Gardner Business Index (GBI) is an indicator of the current state of composites fabricating considering survey responses regarding new orders, production, backlog, employment, exports and supplier deliveries. Over 50 is expansion. Under 50 is contraction.
The Composites Fabricating Index climbed an impressive 4.7 points in January, achieving a 52.3 reading to start off the new year. This is the highest Index reading since June 2022, but more importantly, it indicates the composites industry has returned to expansion after a sluggish end to 2025.
Driving the dramatic increase were significant gains in new orders, production and a double-digit increase in backlogs. These key components indicate fabricators have increased activity and will continue to stay busy, at least in the short term. Optimism continues to be strong as the Future Business Index now stands at 67.3.
Three-month averages for all components except supplier delivers improved from December 2025, while only exports failed to exceed January 2025 readings.
Reading the scorecard
The GBI Components Scorecard reports the monthly change rate of primary composites market factors contributing to the overall monthly index reading.
Color indicates where a component value falls relative to 50 for the current month. Green indicates expansion; red indicates contraction.
Shade indicates a value’s distance from 50; the darker the shade, the further from 50.
Direction indicates a value’s change versus the previous time period. Pointing up is always better.
The three-month average for the Future Business Index rose again in January, now at 67.3.
The GBI Future Business Index is an indicator of the future state of the composites fabrication market industry respondents regarding their opinion of future business conditions for the next 12 months. Over 50 is expansion and under 50 is contraction.
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