A survey by the Power Transmission Distributors Assn. shows its members are optimistic about the economic outlook for 2008.

In PTDA's 2008 Member Forecast Survey, 63 percent of distributors said they anticipate sales growth this year, while slightly more than 25 percent project flat sales. Forty-six distributors responded to the survey.

PTDA's manufacturer members were more optimistic. Of the 57 manufacturers who participated, 83.6 percent anticipated sales gains in '08 and 16.4 percent predicted flat sales. No manufacturers said they expected a sales decrease.

However, some economists contacted by PTDA admitted they had some concerns regarding the 2008 business climate.

“The U.S. economy is incomprehensible at $12 trillion,” says Alan Beaulieu, of the Institute for Trend Research. “It's like a battleship. It takes a lot of time and energy to turn it. I would be in the optimist camp with a lot of PTDA members for 2008, but I would be careful for 2009. I would use the good times of 2008 to prepare for 2009 and 2010.”

For more information on the survey, go to www.ptda.org.