The seasonally adjusted Milwaukee Index increased to 57 in November from 50 in October, according to the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee.
New orders climbed to 63 from 53, production rose to 64 from 56, backlog increased to 51 from 47, and supplier lead times fell to 40 from 43.
Blue-collar employment soared to 54 from 38, while white-collar employment rose to 56 from 47. Inventory levels fell to 39 from 44, while capital equipment purchases increased to 56 from 50.
The prices paid index rose to 56 from 54, with 11 categories rising in price and eight falling, while two were steady.
