PTDA’s May 09 sales numbers a mixed bag

Canadianmanufacturers experienced another drop in sales while U.S.manufacturers experienced a slight increase in May 2009 according tosales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association(PTDA).

Confidence in the market (as measured on ascale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most optimistic) remained the same thismonth, holding a current negative position between 4.3 and 4.8.

U.S.manufacturers’ sales rose slightly by 0.3 percent in May 2009when compared to April 2009, but fell 26.5 percent compared to the sameperiod last year. Canadian manufacturers’ sales were down 6.9percent compared to April 2009 and were down 29.4 percent when comparedto the same period last year.    

Product-by-productsales between April 2009 and May 2009 reflect the change in salesexperienced by U.S. and Canadian manufacturers.  Five of nineproduct categories for U.S. manufacturers—shaft couplings,unmounted bearings, clutches & brakes, variable speed drivesand mounted bearings—posted sales gains.  ForCanadian manufacturers, five product categories posted salesgains— mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, shaft couplings,variable speed drives and positioning systems/linear motion products.