MCLEAN,VA -November U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $245.04 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 Machine Tool Consumption (USMTC) program, was down 2.5% from October and down 6.9% from the total of $263.17 million reported for November 2004. With a year-to-date total of $2,766.59 million, 2005 was up 8.3% compared with 2004.

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

"Machine tool orders for November continue to indicate a steady demand for new capital equipment," says John Healy, AMTDA president.

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 machine tool consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.