After reaching a high of $356 million in 1981, sales actually declined in each of the next three years, and did not surpass the 1981 figure until 1986, when $375 million in sales was reported. One obvious reason for this stagnation was a generally sluggish global economy, in which maintenance supplies were easy targets for the cost-cutting efforts of struggling industrial firms.
The sales figures peaked in 1981 and then declined over the next three years before rebounding to $375 million in 1986. This decline was attributed to a general economic slowdown, which made maintenance supplies vulnerable to cost-cutting measures by struggling industrial companies.