MCLEAN, VA - September U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $153.55 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) and the Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was up 17.8% from August but down 69.3% from the total of $500.57 million reported for September 2008. With a year-to-date total of $1,199.93 million, 2009 is down 67.8% compared with 2008.

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 slight improvement in September orders indicates that we are in synch with the increases seen in the other monthly indicators such as durable goods sales, the PMI, and steel production,” says Peter Borden, AMTDA president. “The factory capacity utilization number still remains in the 65 to 70% range, however, and until this number returns to 75 to 80%, our rate of growth will be slow and sporadic.”

The 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 manufacturing technology consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity. For more information,click here.