Preliminary data for the February 2013 CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI), which is the most recent available, indicate that capital equipment prices declined from January to February, by 0.2%. The current February 2013 preliminary Plant Cost Index stands at 4.4% lower than the PCI value from a year ago (February 2012). Within the equipment subcategories, costs for pumps & compressors, process instruments and electrical equipment edged higher, while costs in other areas, including process machinery and heat exchangers & tanks, fell. Meanwhile, the Current Business Indicators from IHS Global Insight, show that the latest CPI output index value (March 2013) increased from the previous month.
Current trends
| By Scott Jenkins