How can a fabricator be successful these days? The common answer is that if a shop reduces labor costs, it can compete with the world. The story’s subtler than that--and a just-released financial benchmarking survey from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association reveals these subtleties. This year, 36 fabricators anonymously shared some in-depth financial ratio data. Together, those responses helped FMA produce a valuable business tool: the 2012 Financial Ratios & Operational Benchmarking Survey.

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