U.S. machine tool consumption was up 8.4% to $3,080.61 compared with 2004. December machine tool consumption was up 30.8% to $311.03 million, according to The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association. This total is up 7.8% from the total of $288.54 million reported for December 2004.
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 health of the Central region’s construction and agricultural equipment industries have had a positive effect on machine tool orders while the struggling automotive industry has had the opposite effect in the Midwest,’ said John B. Byrd III, AMT president. ‘Improved health of all customer markets in 2006 will mean a positive outlook for our industry.’
The United States Machine Tool 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 machine tool consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.
U.S. machine tool consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States.
Northeast Region
Machine tool consumption in the Northeast Region in December rose to $46.38 million, 30.5% higher than November’s $35.54 million and 10.6% higher than the total of December 2004. The $428.73 million total for 2005 was 2.1% ahead of the comparable figure for 2004.
Southern Region
December machine tool consumption in the Southern Region totaled $45.82 million, 9.7% higher than November’s $41.75 million, but down 12.8% when compared with December a year ago. At $497.02 million, the year-end total was 14.7% higher than the 2004 total.
Midwestern Region
Midwestern machine tool consumption totaled $86.01 million in December, 41.0% higher than November’s $61.01 million, but 19.5% less than the total for last December. The $1,058.12 million year-end total was down 3.7% when compared with 2004.
Central Region
At $83.10 million, December machine tool consumption in the Central Region was up 30.8% when compared with November’s $63.53 million and 76.8% higher than the total for December a year ago. The year-end total of $674.72 million was 27.6% higher than the year-end total for 2004.
Western Region
Western Region December machine tool consumption rose to $49.71 million, 38.3% higher than November’s $35.94 million and up 23.7% when compared with December 2004. At $422.03 million, the year-end total was 16.4% higher than the comparable figure for 2004.
