1Q 2010 Workholding Shipments Up 8.1 Percent from 4Q 2009

At $50.0 million for first quarter 2010, shipments of workholding equipment were up 10.7 percent from first quarter 2009 according to the Advanced Workholding Technologies (AWT) Group of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McLean, VA). Workholding equipment shipments within the U.S. by the 38 companies participating in the AWT statistical report totaled $42.6 million while exports amounted to $7.4 million.

The report from the AWT shows that domestic workholding equipment shipments increased 13.6 percent and U.S. exports decreased 15.5 percent from fourth quarter 2009. The Midwest increased 7.5 percent from fourth quarter 2009 and remained the largest domestic destination with 39.5 percent of total domestic shipments. Growth in the Central region was 24.7 percent, moving it above the Northeast for the second largest share of domestic shipments, with 18.8 percent domestic share. Shipments to the Northeast fell 6.1 percent, moving down to the third largest domestic market with 17.1 percent of domestic shipments in the first quarter.

The South had 13.6 percent of first quarter 2010 domestic shipments, with an increase of 14.4 percent from the previous quarter. The West remained the smallest domestic market again despite a remarkable 34.2 percent increase from fourth quarter leaving it with 11.0 percent share and the largest market growth for first quarter 2010. Additionally, first quarter 2010 employment levels were up 2.7 percent from fourth quarter 2009 but down 9.8 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2009.

The Advanced Workholding Technology Group is comprised of AMT members who produce chucks, jaws, collets, vises, fixtures and other workholding equipment. The AWT operates as a forum to serve the interests of U.S. manufacturers of workholding equipment. While AWT members must be members of AMT, any OEM workholding manufacturer or U.S.-based company that is a sole distributor of a foreign-built workholding product line may participate in the AWT statistical program.

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