March U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $371.1 million, according to AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association and the Association For Manufacturing Technology.
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This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was up 34.9% from February, and up 1.4% from the total of $365.89 million reported for March 2006. With a year-to-date total of $945.27 million, 2007 was up 7.1% compared with 2006.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.
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The U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption (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.&nbsp ;
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Analysis of machine tool consumption provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.
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U.S. machine tool consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic break-downs of the United States.
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Northeast Region
With a $55.39 million total, March manufacturing technology consumption in the Northeast Region was up 30.1% compared with February’s $42.58 million, but down 3.7% when compared with March 2006. The year-to-date total of $151.27 million was 14.5% higher than at the same time a year ago.
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Southern Region
Southern Region manufacturing technology consumption in March stood at $41.63 million, 11.4% higher than February’s $37.36 million, but 21.0% less than the total for March a year ago. With a year-to-date total of $111.27 million, 2007 is running 15.1% behind 2006 at the same time.
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Midwestern Region
March manufacturing technology consumption in the Midwestern Region totaled $107.33 million, up 61.3% when compared with February’s $66.54 million, but 1.3% less than the March 2006 total. At $251.38 million year-to-date, 2007 has fallen 8.9% behind 2006 at the same time.
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Central Region
Central Region manufacturing technology consumption in March stood at $103.13 million, 12.7% higher than February’s $91.52 million, and up 14.6% when compared with March 2006. At $271.55 million, the year-to-date total was 27.9% higher than the comparable figure for 2006.
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Western Region
March manufacturing technology consumption in the Western Region rose to $63.62 million, up 71.7% compared with the $37.05 million tallied in February, and 11.7% higher than the March 2006 total. With a year-to-date total of $159.80 million, 2007 was up 21.6% when compared with last year at the same time.