MCLEAN, VA-May U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $319.40 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was up 21.4% from April and up 29.7% from the total of $246.27 million reported for May 2005. With a year-to-date total of $1,437.11 million, 2006 was up 22% compared with 2005.

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

"May's growth in consumption is particularly encouraging because it is shared across every region of the country," says John J. Healy, AMTDA president. "While May was one of the four best months in the current recovery, the important point is that the trend in orders continues to be upward."

The 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.