MCLEAN, VA-October U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $157.58 million, according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the American Machine Tool Distributors'Association. This total was down 26.6 percent from September, and down 8.7 percent from the $172.52 million total reported for October 2002. With a year-to-date total of $1,583.41 million, 2003 is down 13.4 percent compared to the same period in 2002.

"Manufacturing output is improving, and the impact on machine tool orders is positive but uneven," says John B. Byrd III, president of AMT.

Standing at $20.24 million, October machine tool consumption in the Northeast decreased 22.2 percent from September's $26.01 million and down 27.1 percent compared to October 2002. The year-to-date total of $209.01 million was down 22.6 percent from the comparable figure for 2002.

Machine tool consumption in the South for October totaled $23.47 million, 23.2 percent below September's $30.57 million and 5.2 percent less than the total for October 2002. At $324.98 million, the year-to-date total was 8.2 percent ahead of the same period in 2002.

October machine tool consumption in the Midwest stood at $64.74 million, off 39.7 percent from September's $107.41 million, and 5.6 percent less than the total for last October. Year-to-date 2003 consumption reached $629.01 million, off 11 percent when compared to 2002 at the same time.

Central region machine tool consumption was $29.62 million in October, 11 percent less than the $33.28 million tallied in September, and off 25.5 percent from October 2002. The year-to-date total of $263.06 million was 25 percent less than the comparable figure a year ago.

At $19.51 million, machine tool consumption in the West was up 12.5 percent compared to September's $17.35 million, and up 66.5 percent when compared to October a year ago. The year-to-date total of $157.34 million was off 21.5 percent compared to 2002 at the same time.