PT/MC Manufacturers’ Month-to-Month Sales Increase Less than One Percent According to PTDA's October 2009 Market Outlook Report

Chicago, Ill.--December 8, 2009--U.S. and Canadian manufacturers posted a slight increase in sales in October 2009 according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its Market Outlook Report. U.S. manufacturers’ sales rose 0.6 percent over September 2009 sales. The increase was a slower rate than experienced in the previous two months but still reflects positive movement. Canadian manufacturers’ sales rose 0.8 percent over September 2009, the second month of growth.

Year-to-date sales figures comparisons between October 2009 and October 2008 still reflect sales declines. U.S. manufacturers’ year-to-date sales are down 28.2 percent compared to sales at this time last year; Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-year sales are off 27.2 percent.

Confidence in the U.S. market has been in a negative position since January 2009 and has been stalled at 4.7 (as measured on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most optimistic) for four consecutive months. Canadian manufacturers’ confidence experienced a huge spike in October 2009, jumping to a neutral position of 5.0, the best ranking of the index since July 2008.

Month-to-month sales for nine product categories between September 2009 and October 2009 for U.S. and Canadian manufacturers are reported below.

U.S. Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales (September 2009 vs. October 2009)

Product	Percent Change
Clutches & Brakes	-8.0%
Standard Industrial Motors	-6.1%
Gear Products	-2.7%
Mounted Bearings	1.0%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	1.2%
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	1.4%
Shaft Couplings	1.8%
Unmounted Bearings	5.7%
Variable Speed Drives	21.2%

Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales (September 2009 vs. October 2009)

Product	Percent Change
Shaft Couplings	-32.1%
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	-7.0%
Unmounted Bearings	-5.8%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	-4.0%
Mounted Bearings	-2.3%
Variable Speed Drives	13.7%
Gear Products	20.8%
Clutches & Brakes	25.2%
Standard Industrial Motors	38.7%

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 in sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products for U.S. and Canadian manufacturers.

Year-end data for 2007 and 2008 is available in a complete report. The monthly data is available by subscription via e-mail or mail. To purchase the year-end data or to begin a subscription to the monthly data, order online at www.ptda.org/store or call PTDA at +1.312.516.2100. PTDA members may download the report at no charge through the PTDA Web site at www.ptda.org/MOR.

Founded in 1960, the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is the leading association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel. A U.S.-based trade association, PTDA represents 198 power transmission/motion control distribution firms that generate more than $10 billion in sales and span 3,500 locations in North America and 11 other countries. PTDA members also include 187 manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry.

PTDA is dedicated to providing exceptional networking, targeted education, relevant information and leading-edge business tools to help distributors and manufacturers meet marketplace demands competitively and profitably. For more information, visit www.ptda.org.