THE WORLD SURVEY AT A GLANCE

Dollar-volume production of machine tools around the world during 2011 grew at 35%. Output by the 28 principal producing countries was $92.7-billion. That represents a gain from 2010’s $68.8-billion, which in turn had been an increase of one-quarter from 2009. The hole caused by the deep worldwide recession in 2009 was being filled.

Biggest percentage increases in production came from Japan, Germany, France, China, the United States, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, when measured in their own currencies. Many showed even steeper year-to-year percentage increases when their output is converted to U.S. dollars.

China’s 32% boost in shipments cements its place as number-one producer. At $27.7-billion in estimated output in 2011, China is more than $9.3-billion ahead of second-place Japan. Germany ranks third among producing countries. Output from those top three account for 64% of 2011’s total world output measured in this survey.

The United States had a solid 25% gain in production, which increased to $4.1-billion in 2011. Consumption grew at an even faster pace, up 53%, as imports also zoomed.

Largest consuming country in the world continues to be China, which installed an almost-unbelievable $38.4-billion worth of machine tools, one-third of it in imports. On a per-capita basis, China with its huge population in the past had ranked low. Now, with burgeoning local production and a continued low export pace, its expenditure per capita of $29/person/year puts it in the middle of the pack, with the likes of Canada and Belgium.