Conveyor sales are on the rise across the nation, with the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) reporting solid increases in all sectors in March.

Booked orders for conveyor equipment rose 3.0 percent in March 2015 over the same month in 2014, said Bob Reinfried, CEMA's executive vice president, in a press release.

In addition, March booked orders were up 4.5 percent over February 2015 numbers. Much of the gain was driven by demand for bulk handling equipment. Orders for bulk equipment rose 9.7 percent month over month, compared with a more modest rise of 2.1 percent for unit handling equipment.

Measured by another yardstick—shipments—March 2015 billed sales were up 17.2 percent over the same month in 2014 and 18.6 percent over February 2015 numbers, CEMA figures show. With respect to the month-over-month gains, bulk handling equipment once again led the way, with sales rising 21.1 percent from February to March. Sales of unit handling equipment rose 17.4 percent over the same period.