November Machine Tool Consumption Up 16% from October

November U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $178.83 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association and the Association for Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was up 16% from October but down 16.2% from the total of $213.50 million reported for November 2008.

With a year-to-date total of $1,552.53 million, 2009 is down 63.4% compared with 2008.

"The three month upward trend in manufacturing technology order values is great news for the industry and the country, despite unit levels stubbornly hovering around 1,000," said Peter Borden, AMTDA president. "As we turn the calendar and our attention to 2010, we're hopeful that Washington will pass legislation allowing American manufacturing to rebuild not only its employment levels and backlogs, but also to improve our balance of trade and our country's economy."

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
November manufacturing technology consumption in the Northeast Region totaled $33.32 million, up 27.1% when compared with the $26.21 million total for October but off 16.5% when compared with November a year ago. The $301.72 million year-to-date total was 51.7% less than the total for the same period in 2008.

Southern Region
Totaling $27.48 million, Southern Region manufacturing technology consumption in November rose 26.6% above October's $21.71 million but was 12.6% less than the total for November 2008. At $215.96 million, 2009 year-to-date was off 66.1% when compared with last year at the same time.

Midwest Region
With a total of $49.35 million, Midwest Region manufacturing technology consumption in November was 2.2% higher than October's $48.27 million but off 31.5% when compared with November a year ago. The year-to-date total of $444.35 million was 68.5% less than the comparable figure in 2008.

Central Region
At $49.26 million, November manufacturing technology consumption in the Central Region was up 39.3% from October's $35.36 million but down 2.2% when compared with November a year ago. The $379.36 million year-to-date total was 64.6% less than the 2008 total at the same time.

Western Region
Western Region manufacturing technology consumption in November stood at $19.43 million, 14.1% less than October's $22.62 million and down 1.5% when compared with November 2008. With a year-to-date total of $211.13 million, 2009 was down 57.2% when compared with 2008 at the same time.

Download the full report below.