Shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems within North America totaled $122.3 million, while U.S. exports of that equipment amounted to $49.2 million for the third quarter of 2005, according to a recent report from the Laser Systems Product Group of the Association for Manufacturing Technology (www.mfgtech.org)

North American shipments and U.S. exports of industrial laser equipment and systems increased to $171.5 million, up 10 percent, in the third quarter of 2005, compared to the same quarter from 2004, according to the report.

Cutting applications were the largest source for industrial laser activity for the quarter, accounting for nearly 60 percent of all shipments. In addition, more than 80 percent of the industrial lasers shipped in the third quarter, 2005, were configured as a system that included a laser source and a workstation. About 50 percent of the lasers shipped in the quarter were CO2 lasers.

Although shipments increased 10 percent for the third quarter, the most recent quarter for which results are available, David Plourde, chairman of the Laser Systems Product Group and vice president for sales for Preco Laser Systems, said he expects continued strength for orders for industrial lasers and related systems in the future.