Machine Tool Consumption Up 22.9% in December

December U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $219.60 million, according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was up 22.9% from November but down 5.7% from the total of $232.93 million reported for December 2008.

With a year-to-date total of $1,771.91 million, 2009 is down 60.4% compared with 2008.

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

"The bump in November and December orders reflects the expiration of investment incentives at the end of 2009," said Douglas K. Woods, AMT president.

The United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption 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
Northeast Region manufacturing technology consumption in December rose to $43.92 million, up 31.8% when compared with November's $33.32 million but down 15.4% when compared with December 2008. With a year-to-date total of $345.65 million, 2009 was down 48.9% when compared with 2008 at the same time.

Southern Region
December manufacturing technology consumption in the Southern Region totaled $29.49 million, up 7.3% when compared with the $27.48 million total for November but off 18.2% when compared with December a year ago. The $245.45 million year-to-date total was 63.6% less than the total for the same period in 2008.

Midwest Region
Totaling $62.22 million, Midwest Region manufacturing technology consumption in December rose 27.1% above November's $48.94 million and was 14.1% higher than the total for December 2008. At $506.16 million, 2009 year-to-date was off 65.4% when compared with last year at the same time.

Central Region
With a total of $54.74 million, Central Region manufacturing technology consumption in December was 10.7% higher than November's $49.46 million but off 3.1% when compared with December a year ago. The year-to-date total of $434.30 million was 61.6% less than the comparable figure in 2008.

Western Region
At $29.22 million, December manufacturing technology consumption in the Western Region was up 50.4% from November's $19.43 million but down 13.8% when compared with December a year ago. The $240.36 million year-to-date total was 54.4% less than the 2008 total at the same time.