b'Lead AngleCHEERS FOR STEADY REBOUNDT he Cutting Tool Market Reportas they have metal to work.for June 2022 shows year-to-dateIf these challenges can be alleviated, cutting tool consumption at $1.05 billion,he continued, and consumer demand for according to an Aug. 12 news releasemanufactured goods and capital-intensive jointly issued by the United States Cuttingservices remains strong, the second half Tool Institute and The Association forof 2022 could see monthly order activity Manufacturing Technology. Thats areturn to pre-pandemic levels.significant 7.9% increase over the sameUntil that happens, lets take a moment six-month period in 2021. to welcome the industrys steady rebound While the news is reason for cheer,and, while were at it, the return of IMTS cutting tool consumption still hasthis month.some ground to make up to reach pre-pandemic levels. Compared with the same period in 2019, the current cutting tool market is down 15.8%.Thats still reason for cheer, however, because just one year ago the CTMR reported cutting tool consumption of just $974.7 million for January through June 2021. Thats a decrease of 28.2% from the $1.25 billion mark reported for the same period in 2019.The CTMR is important not only because it clearly shows that the cutting tool industry is headed steadily in the right direction but because the totals reported by companies surveyed for the report represent a majority of the U.S. market for cutting tools. Whats more,Going to IMTS?cutting tools are the primary consumableIf youre going to IMTS, drop by in the manufacturing process, and asCutting Tool Engineering at booth the CTMR news release noted, analysis431668 for a free CTE baseball cap when of cutting tool consumption is a trueyou register for our website. We also will measure of actual production levels. give away an Apple iPad to one lucky And still another reason for cheer is thewinner selected from among all those potential for an even stronger reboundwho register with our website during through the end of this year. IMTS.CTENoted Christopher Chidzik, principal economist at AMT: There is still some way to go before monthly orders matchabout the author their pre-pandemic levels. ShortagesDennis Spaeth is CEO of materials, particularly certain metals,and publisher of CTE. mean there is an upper limit on theContact him at 847-number of tools that can currently be714-0176 or dspaeth@used. Shops only need as much toolingctemedia.com.4SEPTEMBER 2022LeadAngle.indd 4 8/17/22 4:31 PM'