November U.S. manufacturing technology consumption was $318.18 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 down 17.7 percent from October but up 81.1 percent when compared with the total of $175.68 million reported for November 2009.

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With a year-to-date total of $2,792.58 million, 2010 is up 82.7 percent compared with 2009.

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 November numbers reflect the continuing rebound of the U.S. manufacturing sector,” said Peter Borden, AMTDA president.  “Confidence in 2011 is growing and purchases are being made despite the capacity rates being below the threshold when this normally occurs. Backlogs and deliveries are lengthening while prices are increasing as supply lines struggle to meet the surprising surge in demand.”

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 U.S.

Northeast Region
Manufacturing technology consumption in the Northeast Region in November stood at $62.68 million, down 35.6 percent from October’s $97.37 million but up 92.2 percent when compared with the previous November’s total. With a year-to-date total of $523.86 million, 2010 was up 77.7 percent when compared with 2009 at the same time.

Southern Region
Southern Region manufacturing technology consumption totaled $35.94 million in November, 9.8 percent less than October’s $39.83 million but 31.3 percent more than the November 2009 figure. At $384.77 million, 2010 year-to-date was 79.2 percent higher than the comparable figure a year earlier.

Midwest Region
Manufacturing technology consumption in the Midwest Region in November stood at $111.07 million,
off 4.7 percent when compared with October’s $116.50 million but 130.1 percent higher than the tally for the previous
November.  The year-to-date total of $855.38 million was 95.9 percent above the comparable figure for 2009.

Central Region
November manufacturing technology consumption in the Central Region totaled $71.30 million, down 22.9 percent when compared with the $92.42 million total for October but up 48.5 percent when compared with November a year ago.  The $722.78 million 2010 year-to-date total was 94.4 percent higher than the total for the same period the previous year.

Western Region
At $37.19 million, November manufacturing technology consumption in the Western Region was 7.7 percent less than October’s $40.29 million but up 91.4 percent when compared with November 2009. The $305.79 million 2010 year-to-date total was 45.5 percent more than the 2009 total at the same time.