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PTDA Releases Market Outlook Report Data for November 2006

Chicago, Ill. -- January 12, 2007 -- The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) today released the November trend data for distributors and manufacturers of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products.

In November, U.S. distributors’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products climbed 10.7 percent as compared to sales for January through November 2005.  Sales fell 3.6 percent over the previous month and were up 7.8 percent as compared to November 2005.

Days sales in accounts receivables rose 1.3 percent as compared to October 2006 and increased 2.9 percent as compared to the same month last year.  Annualized sales to inventory ratio in November was 8.3, compared to 7.9 in 2005.

For November, the confidence level of U.S. distributors decreased to 6.2 from 6.3 in October on a 10-point scale.

Canadian distributors’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products grew 9.0 percent as compared to sales for January through November 2005.  Sales were up 3.8 percent over the previous month and gained 9.8 percent as compared to November 2005. 

Days sales in accounts receivables were down 3.9 percent from October 2006 and increased 1.2 percent as compared to the same month last year.  Annualized sales to inventory ratio in November remained flat at 7.9 compared to November 2005.

For November, the confidence level of Canadian distributors remained flat at 6.0 on a 10-point scale.

In November, U.S. manufacturers’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products rose 8.0 percent as compared to sales for January through November 2005.  Sales fell 6.3 percent over the previous month and were up 6.5 percent as compared to November 2005.  As compared to October, sales of clutches and brakes increased. Sales of mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, shaft couplings, mechanical drive systems and other PT products decreased. 

Year-to-date orders of PT/MC products from U.S. manufacturers gained 4.3 percent as compared to the same period in 2005.  November orders dropped 11.2 percent from October, and shrunk 8.4 percent as compared to November 2005.  Annualized sales to inventory ratio in November was 10.0, compared to 10.6 in 2005.

For November, the confidence level of U.S. manufacturers remained flat at 5.4 on a 10-point scale.

Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products increased 0.7 percent as compared to sales for January through November in 2005.  Sales decreased 2.7 percent over the previous month and were down 6.0 percent as compared to November 2005.  As compared to October, sales of mounted bearings, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings, and mechanical drive systems and other PT products increased.  Sales of unmounted bearings, standard industrial motors and gear products decreased. 

Annualized sales to inventory ratio in November was 8.0, compared to 7.7 in November 2005.

For November, the confidence level of Canadian manufacturers declined to 5.1 from 5.2 in October on a 10-point scale.

The Adobe Acrobat attachment contains selected data charts from the November 2006 Market Outlook Report.

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, 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, and shaft couplings, and mechanical drive systems and other PT products. 

The report is available by annual subscription via e-mail or mail by contacting +1.312.516.2100 or may be ordered online at www.ptda.org/store; 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 216 power transmission/motion control distributor firms with over 3,500 locations throughout North America and 11 other countries, as well as 200 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.