Machine tool orders gained in September as manufacturing’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic maintained momentum, AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology said today.Orders totaled $590 million for the month, AMT said in a monthly report. That was 8.9 percent higher than an adjusted $541.6 million in August and 58 percent more than $373.1 million in September 2020.
“Economists project the United States is past peak growth, yet machine orders remain at a record pace to meet remaining consumer and producer demands,” Douglas K. Woods, AMT’s president, said in a statement.
AMT said machine shops pulled back in September compared with August. But other sectors, including engine, turbine and power equipment sectors were active. AMT attributed that to investments intended “to increase power grid resilience.”
For 2021’s first nine months, orders totaled $4.1 billion, up 53 percent from the same period a year earlier.
The figures are from companies participating in AMT’s U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) program.
In the first part of 2020, COVID-19 slammed the economy generally. Manufacturing felt the impact via temporary plant shutdowns. Industries such as aerospace saw canceled orders as demand for air travel fell.
Manufacturing has been recovering since then, with factories implementing new safety procedures. COVID-19 vaccines also became widely available. Woods, in his statement, referred to “the breadth of the recovery across manufacturing sectors.”
Connect With Us
