MCLEAN, VA-July U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $278.47 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was down 14.6% from June but up 26.5% from the total of $220.21 million reported for July 2005. With a year-to-date total of $2,056.1 million, 2006 was up 24.4% 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.

"July was well ahead of the year-ago month and also up almost 25% for the year-to-date," says John J. Healy, AMTDA president. "Continued strength can be expected as a result of the trends that historically follow the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September."

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.