First-quarter 2003 shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems within North America and exported from the US were down just 2 percent compared with last year's levels, according to a report from the Laser Systems Product Group of the Association of Manufacturing Technology, based in McLean, Va. A survey of the 40 companies revealed that North American dispatches totaled $69.1 million and exports totaled $18.6 million. Delivery of CO2 laser systems were about the same, representing 55 percent of the industrial lasers shipped, while dispatch of Nd:YAG lasers was down 2 percent. More than half of the shipments were laser systems and half involved cutting applications. Dollar figures are based on data supplied by the participants.