Machine Tool Manufacture

The US machine tool manufacturing industry consists of about 7,000 companies with combined annual revenue of $25 billion. Large companies include Kennametal, Thermadyne, and Hardinge. The industry is fragmented: the largest 50 companies hold less than 30 percent of the market. Large companies may have annual revenue over $100 million, but a typical company has revenue under $10 million.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is closely linked to US industrial activity. The profitability of individual companies depends on the complexity of their product designs and their manufacturing efficiency. Large companies have the resources to make complex, automated machinery. Small companies can compete successfully by making specialty products, replacement parts, or accessories. The industry is fairly capital-intensive: average annual revenue per employee is close to $150,000.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products include dies, molds, cutting tools, and machining centers. Dies and molds account for about 50 percent of industry revenue, cutting tools for 20 percent, machining centers for 15 percent, and 15 percent for miscellaneous machine tools. The industry itself relies on machine tools to make products. The primary manufacturing facilities are specialized foundry and machine shops.

Dies and molds are used to make products by taking on the outside shape of the product. Dies are used to stamp shapes into metals, plastics, and other materials, often with the aid of a hydraulic press. Molds hold a shape while a molten substance like metal, glass, or plastic is poured ...