10 Most Popular Industrial Search Categories on IndustryNet for May 2020

Searches for products, parts and supplies on the industrial marketplace IndustryNet have spiked over the past two months as manufacturers react to COVID-related supply chain disruptions and ongoing tariffs, with many seeking to source stateside.

In May of 2020, industrial category searches on IndustryNet totaled 393,201. This represents an increase of 12% from May’s 2019 category searches, adding to the 42% year-over-year increase we reported for April. 

A closer look at the data reveals some compelling trends and provides insight into the U.S. manufacturing climate at present. Certain industries have seen significant spikes in interest, suggesting more domestic sourcing in specific sectors. This post will take a look at the most popular broad category searches on IndustryNet in May.

Most Popular Industrial Categories on IndustryNet for May 2020

1. Tools

Industrial buyers continued searching for tools this month, though slightly less so than in April. Searches for tools totaled 25,618 in May, compared to 33,311 in April.

The most popular tools searches in May included industrial tools, electric tools, pneumatic tools, hand tools and drilling tools.

2. Chemicals

The chemicals industry rose to second place in May, with searches for all types of chemicals totaling 24,342 in May. Industrial chemicals topped the list at 598 searches, followed by agricultural chemicals.

IndustryNet shows searches for agricultural chemicals in fact surged 47% over this time last year. Agricultural chemicals are among the long list of items subject to high tariffs amid the U.S./China trade wars.

Agricultural chemicals were followed by contract manufacturing chemicals; cleaning chemicals; specialty chemicals; and automotive chemicals.

3. Tubing

Tubing remained at the top of many industrial buyers’ lists in May, ranking third for IndustryNet searches. Last month, IndustryNet reported 21,917 searches for tubing.

Searches for aluminum and many types of steel tubing dominated the category, possibly due to ongoing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Aluminum tubing topped this list, followed by steel tubing, stainless steel tubing, seamless steel tubing; carbon steel tubing; welded steel tubing and structural steel tubing.

4. Pumps

Industrial buyers were seeking lots of different types of pumps in May, yielding 19,386 searches. Within this category agricultural pumps topped the list, followed by air pumps, centrifugal pumps, chemical pumps and condensate return pumps.

Interestingly, despite precipitous losses in the oil market recently, a significantly higher number of searches for oil and petroleum pumps made the list, together accounting for 717 searches in May.

5. Tanks

In May 2020, searches for tanks hit 17,561, representing a nearly fourfold increase in searches over last year’s 4,568 searches.

The spike in searches for tanks could point to more companies shifting production stateside and needing new industrial storage solutions.

A look at the specific types of tanks searched for provides further insight. In May, industrial buyers searched for above-ground tanks the most, followed by acid & chemical tanks (see #2: chemicals); aluminum tanks; bolted tanks; and carbon steel tanks.

6. Food Products

Not surprisingly, food products remained a top search category, hitting 15,904 searches in May. Industrial buyers were most interested in frozen food products; canned food products; all-natural food products and Mexican food products.

7. Molds

Searches for molds continued to trend up in May, with that category weighing in at 15,793 searches, compared to just 56 such searches in May of 2019. The most popular molds included aluminum molds, plastic injection molds, steel molds and silicone molds.

8. Doors

IndustryNet recorded 13,448 searches for doors in May, a 41% increase from May 2019. All types of doors were searched for in May, led by aluminum doors, steel doors, wooden doors and exterior doors.

9. Glass

Glass accounted for 12,690 searches In May. Industrial buyers searched the architectural glass category most frequently, followed by cut art glass; athletic glass; automotive glass; and bent/curved glass.

10. Valves

Searches for valves rounded out our list, with that category racking up 12,201 searches. The most popular valves over the month included stainless steel valves, industrial valves, needle valves and hydraulic valves.

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