U.S. distributors’sales of Power Transmission/Motion Control products continue to fluctuate, dropping 5.5 percent from August to September after a 9.9 percent increase in sales the prior month, according to the September 2007 month-end trend data from the Power Transmission Distributors Association. Year-to-year comparisons remain positive with sales in September 2007 coming in 1.8 percent higher than in September 2006. Accounts receivable collection days increased 9 percent over August 2007.&nbsp ; The September 2007 confidence index for U.S. distributors remained unchanged for the seventh month in a row at 6.6 (on a 10-point scale).
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Canadian distributors’sales in PT/MC products on a month-to-month comparison matched the performance of their U.S. counterparts. After last month’s sales gains, September saw a 0.4 percent decrease in sales when compared to August 2007 and a 0.8 percent decrease when compared to September of the previous year. Account receivables collection days reversed last month’s decline, increasing 9.3 percent over August 2007.&nbsp ; The confidence level of Canadian distributors continues to increase, gaining 0.7 points to 6.0 (on a 10-point scale).
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After a jump in sales last month, U.S. manufacturers’sales fell 6.2 percent from August to September 2007. Sales growth over the same period last year also dropped, decreasing 2.4 percent. The confidence level of U.S. manufacturers’remained flat for the third consecutive month at 5.5 (on a 10-point scale) from August to September 2007.
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Mirroring their U.S. counterparts, Canadian manufacturers’month-to-month sales dropped 1.1 percent in September after an increase in sales the month before. Year-to-year sales growth decreased, falling 2.1 percent September 2006. The confidence level of Canadian manufactures also remained flat at 5.2 on a 10-point scale, a level it has maintained since June.
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Between August and September 2007, U.S. manufacturers experienced an overall decrease in sales with only one product category & mdash; positioning systems/linear motion products & mdash; experiencing an increase in sales. Slightly less than half of Canadian manufacturers’product categories experienced a rise in sales & mdash; mounted bearings, variable speed drives, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems & other PT products.
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The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes month-to-month and year-to-year changes in sales, inventory and accounts receivables data for U.S. and Canadian distributors as well as a general confidence index. U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data includes a confidence index, as well as sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and breaks, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products.
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The report is available at www.ptda.org/MOR.