Jack Healy of the New York Times reported September 01, 2009, that after 18 months of layoffs, plant shutdowns and other declines, the USA’s manufacturing sector grew in August 2009.

The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index turned positive, rising to 52.9 in August, from 48.9 in July. (A reading above 50 indicates expansion and growth; a number below 50 means economic contraction).

This reversal is important to the CAD industry, and offers more evidence that the US economy is pulling out of the recession that began in December 2007.