U.S. Machine Tool Orders Fell 11% in November

Regional variations

In addition to the total activity in new orders, the USMTO covers activity in five geographic regions.

In the Northeast, manufacturing technology orders rose 1.9% during November, up to $66.02 million from October’s $64.81 million. The new figure represented a 20.8% drop from the November 2011 total, $83.32 million.

With a year-to-date total of $713.53 million in new orders, the Northeast region is trailing the 11-month 2011 total ($762.62 million) by 6.4%.

In the South, new orders for machine tools and related products fell 6.4% during November, to $65.47 million from $69.98 million in October. The new result is 22.6% higher than the region’s November 2011 result ($53.40 million), and brings its 2012 year-to-date total to $760.48 million, 17.7% higher than the South’s January-November 2011 total of $645.99 million.

The Midwest region reported manufacturing technology orders totaling $129.36 million during November, a 20.9% decline from October’s result, $163.55 million, and a 13.7% drop from the November 2011 result, $149.85 million.

The year-to-date total for Midwest manufacturing technology orders is $1,664.51 million, raising the 2012 3.5% over the comparable 11-month total for 2011, $1,608.22 million.

Orders for new machining equipment in the Central region fell 14.3% in November, down to $109.15 million from $127.32 million in October, and also fell 13.0% versus the $125.51 million total for November 2011.

Year-to-date 2012 new orders for the Central region stand at $1,458.43 million, 5.6% more than the comparable figure for 2011.

Finally in the Western region, November 2012 manufacturing technology orders rose 7.4% to $51.82 million from the October total of $48.23 million, and rose 6.2% from the November 2011 total of $48.78 million. 

The region’s year-to-date total for orders is $615.22 million through November, 6.7% above $576.43 million 11-month total for 2011.