MCLEAN, VA-April U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $255.13 million, according to The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA). This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption (USMTC) program, was down 27.7% from March but up 6.8% from the total of $238.85 million reported for April 2005. With a year-to-date total of $1,103.76 million, 2006 was up 18.5% 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. "While April orders were below the very strong level in March, year-to-date results are up over 18%, continuing the growth begun almost three years ago," says John B. Byrd III, AMT president. "This September's International Manufacturing Technology Show, September 6 to 13 in Chicago, is likely to accelerate that growth as customers review the latest manufacturing technologies available."

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.