US Cutting Tool Demand Falls Again, Reflecting Manufacturing Weakness

July 18, 2016

U.S. manufacturers consumed $165.68 million worth of cutting tools during May, a decline of 4.6% from the March total and a 4.1% drop from the May 2015 result. Cutting tool consumption is an index to overall manufacturing activity.

Robert Brooks

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The CTMR report on cutting-tool consumption is a useful index to overall manufacturing activity (comparable, as shown, to manufacturers’ shipments of durable goods) because tools must be replaced relatively frequently during manufacturing processes.

U.S. manufacturers consumed $165.68 million worth of cutting tools during May, a decline of 4.6% from the April total and a 4.1% drop from the May 2015 result. Cutting tool consumption is an index to overall manufacturing activity.

Cutting tool consumption is tracked by the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – the Association for Manufacturing Technology in the monthly Cutting Tool Market Report (CTMR.) The report includes data from a majority of the cutting-tool manufacturers and distributors in domestic manufacturing. As cutting tools are a primary consumable product involved in the production process for multiple industrial sectors, the report provides an up-to-date index to U.S. manufacturers’ overall activity.

American Machinist is an IndustryWeek companion site within Penton's Manufacturing & Supply Chain Group.

About the Author

Robert Brooks | Content Director

Robert Brooks has been a business-to-business reporter, writer, editor, and columnist for more than 20 years, specializing in the primary metal and basic manufacturing industries. His work has covered a wide range of topics, including process technology, resource development, material selection, product design, workforce development, and industrial market strategies, among others. Currently, he specializes in subjects related to metal component and product design, development, and manufacturing — including castings, forgings, machined parts, and fabrications.

Brooks is a graduate of Kenyon College (B.A. English, Political Science) and Emory University (M.A. English.)