January 16, 2008–Chicago IL: The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) released November 2007 month-end trend data for distributors and manufacturers of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products.
U.S. distributors’ sales of PT/MC products continue to fluctuate, dropping 5.9% from October to November after a 5.2% increase in sales the prior month. Year-to-year comparisons have been positive all year; sales in November 2007 came in 6.8% higher than in November 2006. Accounts receivable collection days also continue to fluctuate, increasing 2.5% in November 2007 after dropping 6.8% last month. The November 2007 confidence index for U.S. distributors remained flat at 6.2 (on a 10-point scale).
Canadian distributors’ sales in PT/MC products increased slightly, gaining 0.3% from October to November 2007. Compared to November 2006, sales in November 2007 dropped 1.7%. After a decrease in October, account receivables collection days were up 1% in November. The confidence level of Canadian distributors in November 2007 remained flat at 5.3 (on a 10-point scale).
After a spike in sales last month, U.S. manufacturers’ month-to-month sales dropped 9.9% from October to November 2007. Sales growth over the same period last year continued to grow, increasing 4.2%. The confidence level of U.S. manufacturers’ remained flat for the fifth consecutive month at 5.5 (on a 10-point scale).
Mirroring their U.S. counterparts, Canadian manufacturers’ month-to-month sales decreased 3.6% in November after an increase in sales the month before. Year-to-year sales continued to decrease, falling 1% over November 2006. The confidence level of Canadian manufacturers also remained flat at 5.2 on a 10-point scale, a level it has maintained since June.
Between October and November 2007, U.S. manufacturers experienced a decrease in sales of all product categories, while their Canadian counterparts experienced growth in five out of nine product categories — standard industrial motors, gear products, mounted bearings, positioning systems/linear motion products and shaft couplings.
U.S. Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales (October 2007 vs. November 2007)
Product
|
Percent Change
|
Unmounted Bearings
|
-14.3%
|
Shaft Couplings
|
-12.0%
|
Mounted Bearings
|
-10.1%
|
Gear Products
|
-8.5%
|
Clutches & Brakes
|
-7.0%
|
Standard Industrial Motors
|
-6.6%
|
Mechanical Drive Systems & Other PT Products
|
-4.3%
|
Variable Speed Drives
|
-3.4%
|
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products
|
-2.0%
|
Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales (October 2007 vs. November 2007)
Product
|
Percent Change
|
Clutches & Brakes
|
-19.8%
|
Unmounted Bearings
|
-9.5%
|
Mechanical Drive Systems & Other PT Products
|
-4.9%
|
Variable Speed Drives
|
-3.6%
|
Standard Industrial Motors
|
1.2%
|
Gear Products
|
4.2%
|
Mounted Bearings
|
8.4%
|
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products
|
26.8%
|
Shaft Couplings
|
27.0%
|
The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes month-to-month and year-to-year changes for the current and the previous years in sales, inventory and accounts receivables data for U.S. and Canadian distributors as well as a general confidence index. U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data includes a confidence index, as well as sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and breaks, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products.
The report is available by annual subscription via e-mail or mail by contacting (312) 516-2100 or may be ordered online; PTDA members may download the report at no charge through PTDA website.