2000 Top 25 Diemakers

One reason it was a good year is that some diemakers have been willing to concede not-so-profitable or non-core business units. Those businesses were acquired or absorbed by other diemakers with a more concentrated niche interest.

Another factor contributing to the higher revenue totals/lower profits trend is the superior, high-speed tools the new technologies can produce. While they do fetch a premium price, they can be very costly to produce if diemakers don't keep careful tabs on their "total cost to produce," adds Crabtree.