Workholding Shipments Down In First Quarter

At $43.4 million for the first quarter of 2009, shipments of workholding equipment were down 31.7 percent compared with the first quarter of 2008, according to the Advanced Workholding Technology (AWT) Group of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Workholding equipment shipments within the United States by the 34 companies participating in the AWT statistical report totaled $38.4 million, while exports amounted to $4.9 million.

The report shows that domestic workholding equipment shipments decreased 23.6 percent and U.S. exports decreased 26.9 percent from fourth quarter 2008. The Midwest remained the largest domestic destination, with 40.8 percent of total domestic shipments going to that region, although this represents a slight decline from fourth quarter 2008. The West lost 0.1 percent, bringing that region to 10.7 percent, whereas the Northeast lost 0.4 percent to account for 12.8 percent of domestic shipments in the first quarter. The Central and Southern regions increased market share slightly, comprising 19.2 and 16.5 percent of domestic shipments, respectively. Additionally, first quarter 2009 employment levels were down 8.2 percent from fourth quarter 2008 and down 9.6 percent compared with first quarter 2008.

The AWT Group consists of AMT members that produce chucks, jaws, collets, vises, fixtures and other workholding equipment.

For more information from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, visit www.amtonline.org.