U.S. manufacturers of power transmission products saw sales rise 0.6% in October, compared with the month earlier, according to the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in Chicago.

Product categories showing the biggest growth sales rates for the month include variable speed drives at 21.2%, unmounted bearings, 5.7%, and shaft couplings, 1.8%. Sales for the month fell for these product categories: Clutches and brakes, 8%; standard industrial motors, 6.1%, and gear products, 2.7%.

Year-to-date sales figures comparisons between October 2009 and October 2008 still reflect sales declines: U.S. manufacturers' year-to-date sales are down 28.2% compared to sales at this time last year.

Confidence in the U.S. market has been in a negative position since January 2009 and has been stalled at 4.7 (as measured on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most optimistic) for four consecutive months.

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