McLean, VA- Shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems in 2010 are reported at $356.2 million, according to The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). Unit sales jumped 44.9 % for a total of 1,210 units. CO2 lasers accounted for 88.5 % of the value of shipments, which is virtually unchanged since 2009. Unit sales of CO2 lasers made up 70.2 % of shipments. The report compiled from 19 manufacturers and distributors also shows the number of lasers configured as full systems accounted for the same share of shipments as in 2008 after a spike in 2009. The value of orders configured as full systems was $309.2 million.

Year-end figures for 2010 are based on actual data reported by companies voluntarily participating in the Laser Market Data Survey. Growth is based on revised 2009 data reflecting any changes that survey participants made during the course of 2010. “The 37% pick up in 2010 is a modest rebound in the face of the nearly 50% decline in sales during 2009,” says Patrick McGibbon, vice president of Strategic Information & Research and Membership. “Prospects look bright for the remainder of 2011 as new technologies are brought to market and fiber lasers continue to expand.”

The web-based benchmarking survey tracks and reports actual order data from North American manufacturers and suppliers of industrial lasers including:

Complete industrial laser machines (workstations and laser source).

Beam delivery only (workstations).

Source only.

Data is collected at a transaction level, which enables multi-dimensional reporting across destination, application, configuration, and end user industry which enables participants to analyze the market by different criteria. Participation is free, but detailed data is available only to companies that actively contribute data. Any North American company building or supplying industrial laser equipment may participate in AMT’s Laser Market Data Survey.