Gear Technology Magazine
www.geartechnology.com/articles/24282

Manufacturing Technology Orders Up in 2012

August 16, 2012

June U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $462.95 million according to the Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 0.6% from May and down 1.8% when compared with the total of $471.49 million reported for June 2011. With a year-to-date total of $2,682.37 million, 2012 is up 8.8% compared with 2011. These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program. "Suppliers to technology builders are experiencing a backlog two to three times above normal levels, and consequently growth in manufacturing technology orders has slowed. A significant uptick in order activity is expected after IMTS (the International Manufacturing Technology Show)," said Douglas K. Woods, AMT president. "Along with monthly gains in industrial production, manufacturing payrolls also saw gains for the second consecutive month - an indicator that companies are both confident and optimistic that demand will increase."

The USMTO report, compiled by the trade association representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national U.S. orders data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.