The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) recently released the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) report which gives regional and national information on U.S. consumption data for domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. The numbers provided in the report are based on totals from companies participating in the USMTC program.
According to USMTCH, U.S. manufacturing technology consumption for August reached $300.15 million, up 3.4 percent from July and 2.1 percent from August 2005. For the year so far, it has reached $2,381.37 million, up 22.3 percent from 2005.
The report also breaks down manufacturing technology consumption by region.
In the Northeast, consumption was at $45.79 million, 11.1 percent higher than July, and 68 percent higher than August 2005. The year-to-date total of $352.54 million was 33.1 percent higher than the total in 2005.
The South reported a consumption total of $44.08 million, 24.6 percent higher than July and 10.9 percent higher than August 2005. The total for 2006 is currently $328.72 million, which is 3.1 percent higher than last year.
For the Midwest, manufacturing technology consumption reached $71.06 million for August, 37.4 percent less than July and 43.2 percent less than August 2005. Year-to-date consumption is $720.16 million, up 3.5 percent over 2005.
In the Central Region, August consumption totaled $83.40 million, 22.3 percent higher than July and 27.5 percent higher than August 2005. It has a year-to-date consumption total of $611.86 million, 51 percent higher than 2005.
The Western Region has manufacturing technology consumption of $55.82 percent million, which is 74.9 percent higher than July and 52.8 percent higher than August 2005. Year-to-date consumption has totaled $368.09 million, 40.7 percent higher than 2005.
“August consumption was unusually high, but not surprising when you consider that some industries, such as construction equipment, are working at 100 percent of capacity,” said John B. Byrd III, AMT president. “Buyers for many industries were very active at the recent International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), looking for both increased productivity and for capacity advances. Clearly, the year will end on a high note as orders taken at IMTS are realized.”