According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the Manufacturing PMI registered 55.5% in October 2026, up from 54.5% in September. That makes 10 straight months of expansion.
Production is growing faster than employment, and prices remain high. In that environment, the same teams are handling more work while quotes and price changes need closer attention. Manual workarounds that were manageable at lower volume start to cost more.
Actionable takeaway: find out where quotes, scheduling updates, and production information still depend on calls, emails, and spreadsheets. Layer One's Organizational Friction Assessment maps that work and prioritizes what to improve.