Machine Tool Consumption Up 8% in 2007

December U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $400.31 million, according to AMT - the Association For Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was up 7.5% from November, and up 20.9% from the total of $331.23 million reported for December 2006. With a year-end total of $4,261.47 million, 2007 was up 8.0% compared with 2006.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

“Exceptionally strong December results have driven 2007 manufacturing technology orders to a level 8% above 2006,” said John B. Byrd III, AMT President. “This is the fourth complete year in the current growth cycle as U.S. manufacturers continue to apply innovative manufacturing technologies to improve productivity.”

The U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) report, jointly compiled by the two trade associations representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national U.S. consumption data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.

U.S. manufacturing technology consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States.

Northeast Region
Manufacturing technology consumption totalled $54.87 million in December, 4.7% less than November’s $57.55 million and 4.7% less than the December tally a year ago. The year-end total of $650.74 million was 10.5% higher than the 2006 year-end total.

Southern Region
At $52.95 million, December manufacturing technology consumption in the Southern Region was 16.0% higher than the November total of $45.63 million, but 2.5% less than in December 2006. The year-end total of $543.72 million was 7.8% ahead of the comparable figure for 2006.

Midwestern Region
Midwestern Region manufacturing technology consumption in December rose to $154.53 million, 31.9% higher than November’s $117.13 million and 112.6% higher than the total last December. At $1,422.48 million, the 2007 year-end total was 15.4% above the closing total in 2006.

Central Region
December manufacturing technology consumption in the Central Region stood at $83.72 million down 7.9% when compared with November’s $90.86 million but up 1.3% when compared with December 2006. The year-end total of $1,075.15 million was 5.6% higher than the comparable figure for 2006.

Western Region
With a December total of $54.24 million, Western Region manufacturing technology consumption was down 11.2% from November’s $61.08 million, and down 15.2% when compared with last December. The year-end total of $569.36 million fell 5.1% short of the 2006 year-end figure.