August manufacturing technology consumption up 26.6 percent

Oct. 8, 2007

August U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $347.25 million, according to the Association For Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association.

This total, as reported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was up 26.6 percent from July, and up 9.7 percent from the total of $316.44 million reported for August 2006. With a year-to-date total of $2,609.41 million, 2007 was up 6.2 percent compared with 2006. These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

“Machine tool orders have outpaced last year’s results due in part to the decline in the dollar’s strength, which is making manufacturing in the U.S. more competitive,” said John B. Byrd III, AMT president. “However, it may be difficult to sustain the current growth rate through year end due to the very strong activity during and shortly following IMTS 2006.”

The U.S. 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 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. manufacturing technology consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States.

Northeast Region
August manufacturing technology consumption in the Northeast Region totaled $50.19 million, 29.1 percent higher than July’s $38.88 million and up 7.5 percent when compared with August 2006. At $421.03 million, the 2007 year-to-date total was 15.4 percent higher than the comparable figure for 2006.

Southern Region
Manufacturing technology consumption in the Southern Region in August rose to $46.52 million, up 7.4 percent from July’s $43.33 million and 3.8 percent more than the total for August last year. At $349.36 million, the 2007 year-to-date total was 4.1 percent higher than the comparable figure for 2006.

Midwest Region
At $105.45 million, Midwestern Region manufacturing technology consumption in August was up 18.2 percent when compared with July’s $89.23 million, and 30.6 percent higher than the August 2006 total. The $754.53 million year-to-date total was down 0.2 percent when compared with the 2006 total at the same time.

Central Region
Central Region manufacturing technology consumption in August totaled $99.97 million, up 42.2 percent from July’s $70.31 million and up 14.6 percent when compared with last August. The year-to-date total of $708.63 million was 13.4 percent more than the comparable figure in 2006.

Western Region
At $45.11 million, Western Region manufacturing technology consumption in August was up 38.2 percent when compared with July’s $32.63 million, but 20.9 percent less than the tally for August a year ago. Compared with 2006 at the same time, the year-to-date total of $375.86 million was up 0.2 percent.