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Machine Tool Consumption Shows No Sign of Slackening

August U.S. machine tool consumption totaled an estimated $480 million, a 6% rise compared to the revised estimate of $453 million for July, 2000, and up 4.4% over the estimated $460 million total for August, 1999. The year-to-date total now stands at $3.8 billion for 2000, up 4% compared to the same period in 19

Oct 8, 2000

August U.S. machine tool consumption totaled an estimated $480 million, a 6% rise compared to the revised estimate of $453 million for July, 2000, and up 4.4% over the estimated $460 million total for August, 1999. The year-to-date total now stands at $3.8 billion for 2000, up 4% compared to the same period in 1999.

“The top two manufacturing issues for business today are where to get employees and how to build flexible capacity into their company,” notes Don F. Carlson, president of the The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), which, along with the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA), compiles the monthly consumption data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment, based on reports submitted by participating companies. “The answer to both is investment in the latest, most productive manufacturing technology. The strength of August orders, in a seasonally slow time, illustrates the commitment of manufacturers to improve their productivity.”

National machine tool consumption (in millions):

NATIONAL

Aug. '00

Previous Month

YTD '00

YTD '99

Change

Metal
Cutting

301.49

285.37

2,335.24

2,167

7.7%

Metal
Forming

33.68

 35.64

305.78

309.73

-1.3%

Other

29.39

 22.93

274.93

325.26

-15.5%

Total $364.56

$343.94

 $2,915.95 $2,802.50 4.0%

Domestic
Machine tool consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakouts within the United States. Here are the figures for August:

  • Northeast Region
    At $67.74 million, August machine tool consumption in the Northeast Region was up 22.5% compared to July’s $55.30 million, and up 77.1% compared to last August. Year-to-date machine tool consumption rose to $483.70 million, 15.4% higher than the 1999 total for the same period.
  • Southern Region
    Southern Region machine tool consumption in August stood at $49.37 million, down 31.1% compared to July’s $71.64 million, but up 3.1% compared to August 1999. At $446.77 million, the year-to-date total is running 3.6% ahead of the comparable figure for 1999. 
  • Midwestern Region
    August machine tool consumption in the Midwestern Region rose to $123.50 million, up 8% compared to July’s $114.40 million, but down 24.6% compared to August a year ago. Year-to-date machine tool consumption stood at $1.1 billion, down 11.6% compared to the same period in 1999.
  • Central Region
    At $58.39 million, August machine tool consumption in the Central Region was up 16.1% compared to July’s $50.31 million and up 26.9% compared to August a year ago. Totaling $477.38 million, 2000 machine tool consumption is up 6.5% compared to 1999 at the same time.
  • Western Region
    Rising to $65.57 million, Western Region machine tool consumption in August was up 25.4% compared to July’s $52.30 million, and up 23.1% compared to August 1999. With a year-to-date total of $442.44 million, 2000 machine tool consumption is 48.1% higher than the comparable figure for 1999.

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