U.S. distributors’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products rose 11.7 percent through March. Sales in March increased 3.9 percent over February 2006 and were up 12.6 percent as compared with March 2005, according to Power Transmission Distributors Association monthly trend data.

For March, the confidence level of U.S. distributors rose to 7.3 from 7.0 in February on a 10-point scale.

Canadian distributors’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products grew 11.5 percent as compared to sales for February through March 2005.  Sales were up 6.9 percent over the previous month and increased 11.2 percent as compared to March 2005.

For March, the confidence level of Canadian distributors remained flat at 6.8 on a 10-point scale.

In March, U.S. manufacturers’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products grew 10.2 percent as compared to sales for February through March 2005.  Sales were up 4.4 percent over the previous month and increased 9.4 percent as compared to March 2005. 

Year-to-date orders of PT/MC products from U.S. manufacturers grew 9.6 percent as compared to 2005.  March orders decreased 9.4 percent over February, but were up 5.4 percent as compared to March 2005.  Annualized sales to inventory ratio in March was 10.3, compared to 10.2 in 2005.

For March, the confidence level of U.S. manufacturers rose to 5.7 in March from 5.6 in February on a 10-point scale.

Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-date sales of PT/MC products increased 5.9 percent as compared to sales for February through March in 2005.  Sales grew 3.5 percent over the previous and were up 7.6 percent as compared to March 2005.  As compared to February, sales of mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, mechanical drive systems and other PT products, clutches and brakes, and shaft couplings increased.  Sales of standard industrial motors, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products decreased.

For March, the confidence level of Canadian manufacturers fell to 5.1 from 5.2 in February on a 10-point scale.