Power Transmission Markets Up 10% Year to Date

In October, U.S. distributors' year-to-date sales of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products rose 10.6 percent as compared to sales for January through October 2004, according to monthly trend data published by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. Sales decreased 4.3 percent over September and were up 9.3 percent as compared to October 2004.

 

Days sales in accounts receivables increased 1.0 percent as compared over September 2005 and declined 9.9 percent as compared to the same month last year. Annualized sales to inventory ratio was 8.2 in October, compared to 8.3 in October 2004. For October, the confidence level of U.S. distributors remained flat at 6.5 on a 10-point scale.

 

Canadian distributors' year-to-date sales of PT/MC products increased 11.8 percent as compared to sales for January through October 2004. Sales declined 9.1 percent over the previous month and went up 10.4 percent as compared to October 2004.

 

Days sales in accounts receivables increased 8.6 percent over September 2005 and decreased 3.7 percent as compared to the same month last year. Annualized sales to inventory ratio was 7.2 in October 2005, as compared to 7.1 in October 2004. For October, the confidence level of Canadian distributors fell to 6.3 from 6.8 in September 2005 on a 10-point scale.

 

In October, U.S. manufacturers' sales of PT/MC increased 10.9 percent as compared to sales for January through October 2004. Sales decreased 0.2 percent over the previous month and were up 10.7 percent as compared to October 2004. As compared to September, sales of mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products and clutches and brakes increased. Sales of standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, mechanical drive systems and other PT products and shaft couplings decreased.

 

Year-to-date orders of PT/MC products from U.S. manufacturers rose 13.5 percent as compared to 2004. October orders declined 6.2 percent over September but grew 6.9 percent as compared to October 2004. Annualized sales to inventory ratio was 111 in October 2005 as compared to 10.4 October 2004.

 

For October, the confidence level of U.S. manufacturers rose to 5.6 from 5.5 in September 2005 on a 10-point scale.

 

Canadian manufacturers' sales of PT/MC products increased 3.3 percent as compared to sales for January through October in 2004. Sales were down 9.5 percent over the previous month but were up 7.0 percent as compared to October 2004. As compared to September, sales of clutches and brakes and shaft couplings increased. Sales of mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, variable speed drives, gear products, mechanical drive systems and other PT products decreased.