China installed an estimated $10.9 billion worth of machine tools in 2005, once again out-investing its competitors. Japan maintained its lead in output.
Three years ago China moved from fourth to first place in consumption of machine tools. It has retained that position, ahead of other major users such as Japan, the US and Germany. Chinese consumption gained 15% in a year that saw most other industrialised nations continuing to move out of a protracted slump in investment in capital goods. When measured in dollars, Japan had a 27% gain, installing $7.5 billion. On a percentage basis, India had the largest rate of increase, with consumption of around $1.0 billion.
US durable goods factories boosted the installations by 14% in 2005, with the country ranked third in world machine tool consumption. Throughout the 1990sa the US had been the world's leading purchaser of machine tools. The US saw a sharp had decline in consumption during 2001, followed by another drop in 2002, and only started to regain some ground in 2003. Until the slump, America had been number-one in consumption every year since 1993. On the output side, the survey shows that countries with substantial machine tool producing industries created $51.9 billion worth of equipment last year. That represents a 14% increase from the $45.6 billion those same 28 countries shipped in 2004.
Japan retains the lead in output for 2005, with total production of $13.3 billion, ahead of Germany with $9.5 billion. The two countries had run neck-and-neck for that title of the world's leading producer since 1991 when East and West
Germany were combined. China made substantial gains in production in 2005, moving ahead of Italy into third place in world rankings. Others in the top ten, ranked by production, are Taiwan, the US, South Korea, Switzerland, Spain and Canada. As a bloc, five Asian nations - Japan, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, South Korea and India - account for $24.7 billion, or 47.6% of the survey total production; a year ago they had a 44.1% share.
Source:佚名