Manufacturing continues a struggle against market forces

Continuing to battle the headwinds of a strong dollar and weak oil prices, the 2015 market for investment in manufacturing technology reflected those difficulties. The latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology showed that total orders for the year were down 17.4% compared to 2014. While orders did climb from November to December, as is typical for companies looking to make equipment purchases with year-end profits, it was at a lower-than-average rate.

The automotive industry showed strong demand for new production equipment throughout the year, as low oil prices created demand for larger trucks and SUVs. The aerospace and consumer electronics industries also showed a high level of order activity.

Video – USMTO in a nutshell – AMT Vice President – Strategic Analytics Pat McGibbon comments on USMTO numbers and the manufacturing technology market in the U.S.

AMT staff is available for further comment on this report.

If you would prefer to download the release (and view the companion charts), it is available at www.amtonline.org.  A jpg graph showing historical trends is also available upon request.