Spending for quality equipment, software and services is projected to surpass pre-9/11 numbers in 2006.
As America's economy rebounds from its slump in the early part of this decade, investments in quality continue to boom. This fact can be witnessed in Quality Magazine's Sixth Annual Capital Spending Survey as it examines trends in manufacturing spending on quality-related equipment, software and services into 2006. The survey estimates the spending for equipment, software and services to be nearly $4.4 billion. This is an increase from the nearly $3 billon projected for 2005 and a return to pre-9/11 spending. The survey claims the three biggest motives behind 2006 quality investments are to reduce scrap and rework, to improve productivity and to reduce costs.