Orders for industrial laser equipment and systems totaled $131.1 million in the fourth quarter 2007, an increase of 12.4 percent from the previous quarter, according to AMT - The Association for Manufacturing Technology. Electronics and construction equipment manufacturers are key to the orders boom, says the AMT.

Orders within North America taken by the 24 companies reporting in the fourth quarter totaled $111.4 million, while exports amounted to about $19.7 million.

The report from the AMT Laser Survey shows that the value of orders of CO₂ lasers increased 25.3 percent. To protect confidentiality, the value of Nd:0YAG lasers is not available. However, based on Nd:YAG units, orders fell 22.3 percent from the second quarter. Of the 382 total units of all types ordered, 66.8 percent of industrial laser orders were configured as a laser system (laser source and workstation). The value of laser system orders, however, made up 92.1 percent of total orders.

“Increasing orders in the fourth quarter made up for lagging performance in the third quarter,” said John B. Byrd III, AMT President. “Both electronics and construction equipment manufacturers increased orders, reflecting their investment in productivity in order to remain competitive globally.”

Fourth quarter 2007 figures are based on actual data reported by companies voluntarily participating in the Laser Market Data Survey. Third quarter data reported by AMT is revised to reflect any changes in that data that participants have made during the course of the fourth quarter.

The web-based benchmarking survey from AMT tracks and reports actual order data from North American manufacturers and suppliers of industrial lasers including:

• complete industrial laser machines (workstations and laser source),
• beam delivery only (workstations), and
• source only

Data is collected at a transaction level which enables multi-dimensional reporting across destination, application, configuration, and end user industry which enables participants to analyze the market by different criteria. Participation is free, but detailed data is available only to companies that actively contribute data. Any North American company building or supplying industrial laser equipment may participate in AMT’s Laser Market Data Survey.

Companies that meet the eligibility requirements and would like to participate in AMT’s statistical program should register at www.AMTlasersurvey.com or contact Russ Waddell, Industry Economist, at rwaddell@AMTonline.org or 703-827-5258.