PT distributors see July sales down 7.5%

U.S. distributors' sales of PT/MC products decreased 7.4% over the previous month and decreased 5.0% as compared to July 2000, according to the most recent trend data for distributors and manufacturers of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association, Chicago, IL. Days sales in accounts receivables increased 2.1% over June 2001 but decreased 1.6% as compared to the same month last year. Annualized inventory turnover in July was 3.6 turns, compared to 4.0 turns in July 2000. For July 2001, the confidence level of U.S. distributors rose to 4.5 on a 10-point scale.

Canadian distributors' sales of PT/MC products decreased 11.8% from June 2001 and decreased 23.5% as compared to July 2000. Days sales in accounts receivables increased 2.9% over June but decreased 1.8% as compared to the same month last year. Annualized inventory turnover in July was 5.2 turns, compared to 5.0 turns in 2000. For July, the confidence level of Canadian distributors fell to 4.8 on a 10-point scale.

Overall, U.S. manufacturers' sales of PT/MC products decreased 18.1% over the previous month and decreased 13.3% as compared to July 2000. As compared to June 2001, sales of mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, mechanical drive systems & other PT, clutches & brakes, and shaft couplings decreased.

Total orders of PT/MC products from U.S. manufacturers decreased 11.7% over June 2001 and decreased 7.3% as compared to July 2000. Annualized inventory turnover in July was 4.5 turns, compared to 5.6 turns in 2000. For July, the confidence level of U.S. manufacturers rose to 4.8 on a 10-point scale.

Canadian manufacturers' sales of PT/MC products fell 15.1% from June 2001 and fell 4.0% as compared to July 2000. As compared to June 2001, sales o f mounted bearings and variable speed drives increased. Sales of unmounted bearings, gear products, mechanical drive systems & other PT, clutches & brakes and shaft couplings decreased. For July, the confidence level of Canadian manufacturers rose to 4.9 on a 10-point scale.

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by PTDA. The full report includes month-to-month and year-to-year changes in sales, inventory and accounts receivables data for U.S. and Canadian distributors, as well as a general confidence index. U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data includes a confidence index, as well as sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, mechanical drive systems and other PT products, clutches and brakes and shaft couplings.

Founded in 1960, PTDA is an US-based trade association representing almost 250 power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distributor firms with almost 3,000 locations throughout North America and almost 20 other countries, as well as almost 200 manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry.