2007 manufacturing technology consumption up 8.7%

April U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $281.54 million, according to AMT - The Association for Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association.

This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was down 27.2% from March, but up 2.2% from the total of $275.43 million reported for April 2006. With a year-to-date total of $1,259.09 million, 2007 was up 8.7% compared with 2006.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

"Strength in the oil field and auto sectors has brought increased demand in the Central region of the country," says John B. Byrd III. "Through April this region has the greatest increase in consumption, bringing it into a tie with the traditional leader, the Midwest region."

The United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) report, jointly compiled by the two trade associations representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national U.S. consumption data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment.

Analysis of manufacturing technology consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.

U.S. manufacturing technology consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States.

Northeast Region
April manufacturing technology consumption in the Northeast Region stood at $44.27 million, 20.6% less than the $55.72 million tallied in March and 0.6% less than the total for April a year ago. With a year-to-date total of $197.58 million, 2007 was running 11.9% ahead of 2006 at the same time.

Southern Region
April Southern Region manufacturing technology consumption totaled $37.12 million, 17.6% less than March's $45.06 million, but 8.8% more than the April 2006 total. The year-to-date tally of $153.60 million was 7.0% le

Midwestern Region
At $81.28 million, Midwestern Region manufacturing technology consumption in April was down 31.0% when compared with the $117.79 million total for March, but up 17.0% when compared with last April. Totaling $351.76 million year-todate, 2007 was 1.8% ahead of 2006 at the same time.

Central Region
Central Region manufacturing technology consumption in April was $77.40 million, 25.7% less than the $104.21 million tallied in March and down 4.4% when compared with April a year ago. At $351.87 million, the year-to-date total was 20.0% higher than at the same time in 2006.

Western Region
Manufacturing technology consumption in the Western Region in April totaled $41.48 million, 34.9% less than the $63.70 million total for March and 10.5% less than the April 2006 total. With a yearto- date total of $204.28 million, 2007 was up 14.9% when compared with last year at the same time.