As of mid-April, Industrial Info Resources (www.industrialinfo.com) was tracking 5,185 industrial projects in the United States with planned construction starts in 2006. These projects represent $169 billion in project spending. This analysis is based on a review of all active projects identified through the end of the first quarter of 2006.

A similar review at the end of the first quarter of 2005 found 4,877 active projects totaling about $131 billion. That indicates a 29% increase in planned project spending in 2006.

When comparing regional industrial spending during the same time period, all market regions showed significant increases in spending in 2006 with the exception of the West Coast, which declined, and the Northeast, which essentially remained static. The Mid-Atlantic Region leads all market regions in project spending growth with a 50% increase.

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