April U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $257.39 million, according to AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was down 8.3% from March but up 29.0% from the total of $199.60 million reported for April 2004. With a year-to-date total of $969.35 million, 2005 was up 18.6% compared with 2004. These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

"The continued impressive increases in investment in advanced manufacturing equipment demonstrate that industry recognizes the need to invest in productivity enhancing technologies in order to remain competitive," said John B. Byrd III, AMT President.

The United States Machine Tool 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. 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.

U.S. machine tool consumption is also reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States.

Northeast Region

Northeast Region machine tool consumption in April rose to $46.24 million, up 21.5% from the $38.05 million tallied in March and up 27.7% when compared with April 2004. At $143.21 million, the 2005 year-to-date total was 21.0% higher than the comparable figure in 2004.

Southern Region

Machine tool consumption in the Southern Region in April totaled $49.49 million, down 21.1% from the March total of $62.71 million, but 81.6% higher than the total for April a year ago. With a year-to-date total of $179.91 million, 2005 was running 52.4% ahead of 2004 at the same time.

Midwestern Region

At $72.83 million, Midwestern Region machine tool consumption in April was 24.1% lower than March's $95.97 million and down 3.2% when compared with last April. The year-to-date 2005 total of $336.83 million was up 1.8% compared with 2004 at the same time.

Central Region

April Central Region machine tool consumption was $52.12 million, similar to the $52.29 million tallied in March and 49.0% higher than the total for April a year ago. At $187.69 million, year-to-date machine tool consumption was 26.3% higher than in 2004 at the same time.

Western Region

Western Region machine tool consumption in April totaled $36.71 million, up 16.4% compared with the $31.53 million total for March and 41.7% higher than the April 2004 total. The year-to-date total of $121.71 million was 20.2% higher than the comparable figure for 2004.