U.S. manufacturing technology consumption up for March

The latest figures released by the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (www.amtda.org) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (www.amtonline.org), show U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $371.10 million, up 34.9 percent from February and up 1.4 percent from the total of $365.89 million reported for March 2006. Year-to-date sales total $945.27 million, up 7.1 percen compared with the same period a year ago.

“Strong March results have produced continued growth in the first quarter of the year,” said John J. Healy, AMTDA president. “This pattern of steady growth is expected to continue.”

By region, the report shows that the Northeast Region had March manufacturing technology consumption totaling $55.39 million, up 30.1 percent over February’s $42.58 million, but down by 3.7 percent compared with March 2006. The year-to-date total of $151.27 million was 14.5 percent higher than the same period a year earlier.

The Southern Region manufacturing technology consumption for March stood at $41.63, 11.4 percent higher than February’s $37.36 million, but 21.0 percent less than the total for March a year ago. Total consumption year-to-date is also running 15.1 percent behind the 2006 YTD figures.

Midwest Region manufacturing technology consumption in March stood at $107.33 million, up 61.3 percent compared with February’s $66.54 million, but 1.3percent less when compared with March 2006. Year-to-date consumption stood at $251.38 million, revealing that 2007 has fallen 8.9 percent behind the 2006 YTD consumption.

The Central Region saw manufacturing technology consumption rise 12.7 percent higher than February’s, for a March total of $103.13 million compared to February’s $91.52 million, and up 14.6 percent when compared to March 2006. At $263.12 million, the YTD total was 27.9 percent higher than the comparable figure for 2006.

Western Region manufacturing technology consumption for March 2007 rose to 63.62 million, up 71.7 percent compared with the $37.05 million in February, and 11.7 percent higher than March 2006. YTD figures total $159.80 million, up 21.6 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.