The AV Sales Index (AVI-S) for July leveled back out at 52.7. While still showing expansion, growth is slower than a year ago when the AVI-S was at 57.1. Rising costs and inflation have kept the summer builds for sectors like education slower than years past.
July activity reflected steady expansion across workplace technology, digital signage, immersive experiences, networked AV, and strategic acquisitions. Overall, the month points to a Pro AV market pursuing practical growth while continuing to navigate broader economic pressures, including trade tensions, supply chain disruptions, energy cost increases, and geopolitical uncertainty.
The July AV Employment Index (AVI-E) remained in slight expansion at 51.8. While a few survey respondents are experiencing hiring freezes, others are struggling to find enough talented employees, causing current employees to feel overworked. The latest official U.S. labor data show soft job growth but a still-stable unemployment rate, with weaker participation suggesting some cooling in labor market momentum.
“Our order books are full. We’re having trouble completing all our projects because we don’t have enough staff," shared an AV integrator in Europe. "It’s difficult to find well-trained staff in the AV industry. We’re managing by planning projects efficiently and trying to arrange later installation dates with our customers.”
The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity.
Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn more about the methodology. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.
