MCLEAN, VA-February U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $444.06 million according to The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was up 9.3% from January and up 35.2% when compared with the total of $328.44 million reported for February 2011.

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

“Manufacturing technology orders are off to their best start since 1998,” says AMT President Douglas K. Woods. “U.S. manufacturers continue to seek increases in productivity through automation and innovative technologies to increase their global competitiveness.”

The United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report, compiled by the trade association 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 Region: Northeast Region manufacturing technology orders totaled $53.14 million in February, 5.7% less than the $56.34 million total for January and 3.7% less than the total for February 2011.

Southern Region: At $53.30 million, February manufacturing technology orders in the Southern Region were up 45.2% when compared with the $36.71 million total for January and up 54.2% when compared with February a year ago.

Midwest Region: February manufacturing technology orders in the Midwest Region totaled $164.43 million, 14.1% more than January’s $144.14 million and up 46.6% when compared with the February 2011 figure.

Central Region: Central Region manufacturing technology orders in February stood at $132.21 million, 1.9% more than the January total of $128.82 million and 32.2% higher than last February’s total.

Western Region: Manufacturing technology orders in the Western Region in February totaled $41.99 million, up 4.1% from January’s $40.32 million and up 53.7% when compared with the February 2011 figure.