McLean, Va. (April 16, 2025) — Shipments of cutting tools, measured by the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled in a collaboration between AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI), totaled $198.6 million in February 2025. Orders decreased 0.7% from January 2025 and were down 9.2% from February 2024. Year-to-date shipments totaled $398.4 million, a drop of 6.7% from the same period in 2024.
“Orders for cutting tools in the United States continue to lag behind the numbers posted in 2024,” said Steve Boyer, president of USCTI. “Significant declines in year-over-year totals suggest a lack of confidence in current markets. While we have gained some clarity in our country’s leadership, the policies – specifically the full impact of imposed tariffs – cannot yet be gauged. I believe any optimism we may have had entering 2025 will be delayed until we learn more about the tariffs and their effects on the major markets we serve.”
Tom Haag, president of Kyocera SGS Precision Tool, said: “The calendar year has not kicked off well, considering the reported numbers through February, and we expect March numbers to reflect a further decline, as the tariff war has dented the confidence of manufacturing businesses around the world. The United States started this year by recovering manufacturing activity in January and February, which typically would have required the fulfillment of the supply chain pipeline. Instead, tariff speculation has caused the opposite effect, where demand is suffering due to economic uncertainty.”
The Cutting Tool Market Report is jointly compiled by AMT and USCTI, two trade associations representing the development, production, and distribution of cutting tool technology and products. It provides a monthly statement on U.S. manufacturers’ consumption of the primary consumable in the manufacturing process, the cutting tool. Analysis of cutting tool consumption is a leading indicator of both upturns and downturns in U.S. manufacturing activity, as it is a true measure of actual production levels.
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AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents U.S.-based providers of manufacturing technology – the advanced machinery, devices, and digital equipment that U.S. manufacturing relies on to be productive, innovative, and competitive. Located in McLean, Virginia, near the nation’s capital, AMT acts as the industry’s voice to accelerate the pace of innovation, increase global competitiveness, and develop manufacturing’s advanced workforce of tomorrow. With extensive expertise in industry data and market intelligence, as well as a full complement of international business operations, AMT offers its members an unparalleled level of support. AMT also produces IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, the premier manufacturing technology event in North America. Learn more at AMTonline.org.
The United States Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) was formed in 1988 and resulted from a merger of the two national associations representing the cutting tool manufacturing industry. USCTI works to represent, promote, and expand the U.S. cutting tool industry and to promote the benefits of buying American-made cutting tools manufactured by its members. The Institute recently expanded its by-laws to include any North American manufacturer and/or remanufacturer of cutting tools, as well as post-fabrication tool surface treatment providers. Members, which number over 80, belong to seven product divisions: Carbide Tooling, Drill & Reamer, Milling Cutter, PCD & PCBN, Tap & Die, Tool Holder and All Other Tooling. A wide range of activities includes a comprehensive statistics program, human resources surveys and forums, development of product specifications and standards, and semi-annual meetings to share ideas and receive information on key industry trends.
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