BMI Releases Industry Barometer Survey Results for April

[BRADENTON, FL—April 14, 2022] The Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI) released the April results for its monthly survey on capacity and lead times for soft cover and hard cover books. As demand has skyrocketed and supply chain woes continue to hamper all segments of manufacturing, BMI put together the survey to get a better idea of what manufacturers were facing and what publishers should expect. April is the second month of the survey.

According to responses regarding hard cover books, the average manufacturer was running at 85% of their capacity, consistent with March numbers. The average lead time for completed hard cover books increased to 103 days, up from 84 days. For soft cover books, capacity usage increased from 89% to 94% and the average lead time increased to 79 days from 70 days, based on 17 responses.