The November U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $178.83 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA), Rockville, Md., and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), McLean, Va. This total, as reported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was up 16% from October but down 16.2% from the total of $213.50 million reported for November 2008. With a year-to-date total of $1,552.53 million, 2009 is down 63.4% compared with 2008.
"The three-month upward trend in manufacturing technology order values is great news for the industry and the country, despite unit levels stubbornly hovering around 1,000," says Peter Borden, AMTDA president. "As we turn the calendar and our attention to 2010, we're hopeful that Washington will pass legislation allowing American manufacturing to rebuild not only its employment levels and backlogs, but also to improve our balance of trade and our country's economy."
