The Mexican machine tools market experienced a growth rate of 39 percent from 2004 to 2005. It was expected to continue growing during 2006, given Mexico’s strong economic integration through NAFTA.
      The import value of the seven Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) fractions analyzed in this report, going from 8456 through 8461, and 8463 was USD 743.5 million. The U.S. participation in the total import market is only 18.3 percent, behind Germany with 24.2 percent, and Japan, with 19.02 percent. For the specific purpose of this report, fractions 8456.3001 electrostatic-discharge processes machine (EDM) tools and 8457.1001 machining centers, with automatic tool changers, were analyzed.

      The U.S. market share participation shows a decline of 9 percent, from the 27 percent high figure of 2003, to only 18.3 percent in 2005. According to the Mexican Association of Machine Tools Distributors (Asociación Mexicana de Distribuidores de Maquinaria-AMDM), this is because of a combination of factors, such as time of response to quotation of projects that may include the engineering of production-cells, fast maintenance service response, and ease of financing.

      During 2005, machining centers made up 15 percent of the machine tools total imports, with an increase of 34 percent above 2004 values. In turn, 2004 imports were 42 percent higher than in 2003. EDM imports increased 6.9 percent above 2004. However, 2004 imports were...

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