MCLEAN, VA-May U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $388.27 million, according to AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association and AMT-- The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 2.6% from April but up 121.3% when compared with the total of $175.46 million reported for May 2010. With a year-to-date total of $1,984.87 million, 2011 is up 108.0% compared with 2010.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program.

"The May order numbers confirm our members’ reports of continued strong project levels by manufacturing companies to improve productivity in their factories," says Peter Borden, AMTDA president. "The 2,000 unit-per-month level signifies a very healthy demand still in place as we head toward the close of the second quarter."

The United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report, jointly compiled by the two trade associations representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national U.S. orders data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.

U.S. manufacturing technology orders are also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States:

  • Northeast. At $64.30 million, May manufacturing technology orders in the Northeast region were up 8.4% when compared with the $59.33 million total for April and up 88.4% when compared with May a year ago. The year-to-date total of $305.87 million is 92.4% more than the comparable figure for 2010.

  • Southern. May manufacturing technology orders in the Southern region totaled $54.15 million, 5.1% more than April’s $51.52 million and 86.4% more than the May 2010 total. With a year-to-date total of $239.30 million, 2011 is up 56.9% when compared with 2010 at the same time.

  • Midwest. Midwest region manufacturing technology orders in May stood at $137.62 million, 10.9% more than the April total of $124.14 million and up 232.6% when compared with last May. At $691.81 million, the 2011 year-to-date total is 168.5% more than the comparable figure for 2010.

  • Central. Manufacturing technology orders in the Central region in May totaled $95.18 million, down 21.6% from April’s $121.36 million but up 83.8% when compared with the May 2010 figure. The $551.71 million year-to-date total is 106.6% higher than the total for the same period in 2010.

  • Western. Western region manufacturing technology orders totaled $37.02 million in May, 12.1% less than the $42.11 million total for April but 93.9% higher than the tally for May 2010. At $196.18 million, 2011 year-to-date is up 66.3% when compared with last year at the same time.