The seasonally adjusted Milwaukee index increased to 58 in September from an upwardly revised 56 in August, according to the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee.
The 58 reading is the highest for the index since January 2008. New orders grew to 66 from 59, production rose to 71 from 56, backlog slipped to 47 from 51, and supplier lead times fell to 45 from 47.
Blue-collar employment increased to 50 from 42, while white collar employment fell to 45 from 47. Inventory levels rose to 48 from 37, while capital equipment purchases grew to 55 from 50.
The prices paid index decreased to 54 from 60, with five categories rising in price and 16 falling. By value, 15 are higher than 50, three are at 50, and three are less than 50.
