Caution, not crisis, for manufacturing

McLean, Virginia – August U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $285.92 million according to AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 10.2% from July’s $318.48 million and down 21.2% when compared with the total of $362.65 million reported for August 2014. With a year-to-date total of $2,771.23 million, 2015 was down 10% when compared with 2014.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program.

“While there is a sense of unease in manufacturing now as indicated by this reduction in orders combined with drops in the PMI and industrial production, some leveling after a period of strong growth is expected and helps build stable longer term growth,” said AMT President Douglas K. Woods. “We are a diversified industry, and pockets of manufacturing continue to show resilience, such as automotive stamping and medical devices. While there is some cause for caution, we do not anticipate more than market flatness into the early part of 2016.”

The United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (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.

U.S. manufacturing technology orders are also reported on a regional basis for six geographic breakdowns of the United States.

Source: AMT