Evening star., 1938-02-09
STEAD|NESS SEEN
IN METAL TRADES
American Machinist Finds
No Signs of Further
Drop in Activity.
3recial Dispatch to The star.

NEW YORK, Feb. o.-Though 1t is
hard to find any' improvement in the
Woodworking industries. there are no
signs Of further decline. says American
Machinist today.
The downward curve has flattened
out and In most lines is moving side
wise. Machine tool buying is very
light, aside from foreign orders. Steel
output probably will stay around 80
per cent for the next few weeks before
climbing again. Automobile produc-
ton this month won't be more than
225.00O units, and probably less. Even
II rates are allowed, railroads aren't
expected to provide much equipment
business the first half of the year.
The national defense program should
give impetus to steel and machinery
purchases when it starts Airplane
makers, in contrast with other indus
tries, have record untitled orders and
can operate at the 1887 level the next
IS months. Woodworking machinery
companies shipped 1866 machines
during 1887, compared with 3,245 in
1886.
Final figures show household appli-
ance sales last year were close to an
all-time high. The steel industry this
year will spend Sl65.O00,0 900 for plant
improvements. or slightly less than
half the total for 1887.
Chicago Lull Continues.
At Chicago business continues side
wise, with no immediate signs of re-
covery Whereas month ago sew
eral big corporations said that they
would buy equipment in about 30 days,
today their purchasing departments
have orders to buy nothing except
emergency tools. Steel sales are poor,
being active only in agricultural i'm
plements and tractors. Borg-Warner
will spend 100000 to expand its
Norge plants and General Household
Utilities expects to introduce q new
low-price refrigerator
In New England the market for
electrical supplies and small equip
ment is better. Textile mills are run
ming at 40 to 60 per cent, except
where Government contracts push the
rate higher. Shipbuilders anticipate
heavy business when the naval pro-
gram gets started. Already shipyards
are buying few machine tools New
England industries believe the pro-
posed reciprocal trade agreement with
Great Britain carries deadly possibili-
ties for them.
At New York plans for new auto
mobile in Germany are afoot and Or
ders for special machines will be
placed here. Foreign interests re-
Gently have bought over so diamond
boring machines The national de-
fense program is expected to stimulate
equipment buying. Machinery busi-
ness at Philadelphia is quiet.
Steel Prices Watched.
At Pittsburgh the steel rate fingers
around 30 per cent. No buying move
ment, except on necessity basis, is
looked for until future steel prices be-
come known. Pittsburgh's business
index stands at 72.5, compared with
69.4 on January /, according to the
Bureau Of Business Research. Univer-
sity of Pittsburgh. Machinery trade
reports buyers are tightening purse
strings.
At Detroit carmakers are expected to
buy much machinery for 1899 pro-
grams before April /. Kelyinator has
been closed for two weeks Tool and
die shops expect substantial orders
from Fisher Body.
At Cleveland business has improved
a bit. Machinery dealers say that they
are getting occasional orders for large
tools. Auto parts factories are oper-
ating two and three days a week