U.S. machine tool demand continues decline in Midwest, rises in other regions

Reuters has reported that U.S. December machine tool demand fell 2.2 percent to $194.01 million from $198.35 million in November, according to the American Machine Tool Distributor's Association (AMTDA) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This drop follows a 34.7 percent decline in November.

December 2008 demand plunged 53.8 percent from December 2007's $419.80 million.

"The declines in November and December clearly reflect the impact of financial upheaval this past fall on our industry," said AMT President Robert Simpson.

"The administration has to get the manufacturing sector on the top of its agenda as manufacturing creates the wealth we need to balance our global debt," Simpson added.

The December demand actually rose from a month earlier in all regions included the AMTDA/AMT report with the exception of the Midwest, which typically is the region with the most machine tool orders. Demand jumped 40.2 percent in the West, 30.4 percent in the Northeast, 9.1 percent in the South, and 4.7 percent in the Central region. It dropped 38.2 percent in the Midwest.