“The latest data from April simply quantifies ‘how bad’ the news is for our industry," said one stakeholder.

April 2020 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $142.9 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was down 24.7 percent from March's $189.8 million and down 31.1 percent when compared with the $207.5 million reported for April 2019. With a year-to-date total of $717.5 million, 2020 is down 14.4 percent when compared with April 2019.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals reported by the companies participating in the CTMR program. The totals here represent the majority of the U.S. market for cutting tools.

According to Bret Tayne, President of USCTI, “The precipitous drop in April cutting tool industry sales numbers confirms what many of us have experienced. The good news is that some economic forecasts and macro market indicators point to improvement as we enter the second half of the year.”
 
“The latest data from April simply quantifies ‘how bad’ the news is for our industry. It also appears the bad news will continue through the months ahead. The drop in oil prices along with COVID-19’s impact on automotive, aerospace and support industries has left its trail of destruction,” said Steve Stokey, Executive VP and Owner of Allied Machine and Engineering, adding, “Survival and understanding the ‘new normal’ is what is driving most decisions now-a-days. One positive tidbit to note is the resiliency of our industry. Companies have implemented changes and innovated at unprecedented speeds. The phrase ‘Innovate or Die’ has never been more relevant than it is today.”

The Cutting Tool Market Report is jointly compiled by AMT and USCTI, two trade associations representing the development, production, and distribution of cutting tool technology and products. It provides a monthly statement on U.S. manufacturers’ consumption of the primary consumable in the manufacturing process – the cutting tool. Analysis of cutting tool consumption is a leading indicator of both upturns and downturns in U.S. manufacturing activity, as it is a true measure of actual production levels.

Historical data for the Cutting Tool Market Report is available dating back to January 2012. This collaboration of AMT and USCTI is the first step in the two associations working together to promote and support U.S.-based manufacturers of cutting tool technology.
The graph below includes the 12-month moving average for the durable goods shipments and cutting tool orders. These values are calculated by taking the average of the most recent 12 months and plotting them over time.

Source: Industrial Distribution