2009 Machine Shop Market Profile - Engine Builder Magazine

2009 Machine Shop Market Profile

Now that new car dealers and manufacturers are taking it on the chin
because many consumers have apparently decided that “making do is
better than buying new,” there is increased optimism in many segments
of the service sector. For engine builders – who have been operating in
a challenging environment for several years now – the opportunities to
be both economically and ecologically friendly have never been better,
and some positive signs are emerging.

For more than 20 years, Engine Builder magazine has surveyed the
same machine shop/custom engine rebuilder (CER) population to get a
picture of the scope of this industry. Admittedly, each year we’ve had
to use a slightly smaller lens but the results have continued to be
interesting.

Because of the decades of data we’ve collected, we believe the
information in this study is the most reliable data available for
tracking trends in the production of engines, cylinder heads and
crankshafts, as well as specific business data.

The data generated for this year’s Machine Shop Market Profile was
collected through survey questionnaires sent to the machine shop/custom
engine rebuilding membership of the AERA. Four different
questionnaires, consisting of four pages each, were developed to obtain
the information contained in our profile.

Each questionnaire was mailed to one-quarter of AERA’s rebuilding
membership, selected on a random-start Nth-name basis. A total of 1,830
appropriate usable outgoing questionnaires were sent out in early
January.

A total of 203 completed questionnaires were returned,  resulting in a
return rate of 11%. Analysis of the data was completed by Babcox Market
Research.

The survey information reflects data for production year 2008. Part
I of this two-part profile includes data on monthly production of
engine blocks and cylinder heads, broken out by engine size as well as
by gas and diesel configurations, crankshafts, core sourcing, shop
equipment ownership and purchasing, and total production time spent in
specific engine building areas.

As engine technology has improved over the years, this industry has
suffered, and there is no way to recapture the glory of the past
decades in terms of numbers. But opportunities still exist for at least
three reasons: people need their vehicles to run properly, there is
currently no viable alternative to the internal combustion engine and
the competitive fire still burns inside many people, meaning being
bigger, faster and louder than the next guy still matters.

This isn’t meant to imply that the statistics surrounding this
market are markedly better – in fact, in many instances declines are
significant. But since we’re looking at data that reflect last year’s
position, there is every reason to believe that changes in the economy
now are already starting to have a positive impact.

To download Part One, click here for the PDF

To download Part Two, click here for the PDF.

You May Also Like

The Road to AAPEX Season 2, Ep 1

Last year, the idea was simple: Find a junker, fix it up with the best from the automotive aftermarket, and drive it to Las Vegas for AAPEX 2022. This year, it’s anything but simple. The automotive aftermarket is at the crossroads of change. Electric vehicles, driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles, sustainability—it’s a shifting landscape. This

Last year, the idea was simple: Find a junker, fix it up with the best from the automotive aftermarket, and drive it to Las Vegas for AAPEX 2022. This year, it’s anything but simple.

The automotive aftermarket is at the crossroads of change. Electric vehicles, driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles, sustainability—it’s a shifting landscape. This year, the Big Bosses at AAPEX, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of Auto Care Association, and Paul McCarthy, president and CEO of MEMA Aftermarket, offered a challenge. Babcox Media’s Joe Keene, an ASE-certified technician, couldn’t refuse: Find and fix a rare Lincoln Blackwood and drive it down the Lincoln Highway to AAPEX 2023.

What’s a Ford Sidevalve Engine?

It looks like an ordinary inline 4-cylinder flathead engine. Essentially it is, but it has quite a cult following here in the UK.

The Drag & Drive Revolution

Following that first drag-and-drive event back in 2005, spinoffs of Drag Week have been happening all over the country, and the world, both large and small. In recent years, the trend has been completely blowing up!

The Evolution of Pro Mod Diesels

The advancements within the performance diesel world over the past 20 years have been nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, within just the last five to 10 years, that progress has been even more rapid and impressive, but few progressions have been more astonishing than those within the Pro Mod Diesel realm.

Top Fuel and Funny Car Engines

They’re the pinnacle of drag racing, and the engine builders, crew chiefs and teams who make these cars function at peak performance all season long are looking at every single area of the engine and the car to make it down the track as fast as possible.

Other Posts

Race Oils

Choosing the correct performance racing oil is essential to ensure optimal performance and longevity of your engine.

Facts About Engine Bearings

The experts all agree that cleanliness is the most important factor during installation, and the lack thereof is the most common problem that leads to bearing failure. But measuring is just as critical.

Does Connecting Rod Length Matter?

Over the years, we’ve gotten asked numerous times about connecting rod length and the impact that has on an engine’s horsepower and durability. As it turns out, this question is often overthought. It’s not so much the connecting rod length that matters as much as it is the correct piston pin height. The connecting rod

LTR Engine Build

This Late Model Engines build is centered around Concept Performance’s new LTR block, which is the first aftermarket as-cast aluminum Gen V LT block.