McLean, Va. (June 9, 2025) — New orders of metalworking machinery, measured by the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, totaled $444.9 million in April 2025. This marked a 12.7% decline from March 2025 and a nearly 40% increase from April 2024. Machinery orders in 2025 placed through April totaled $1.69 billion, a 17.8% increase over the first four months of 2024.
Typically, April machinery orders decline by 21% from March, which tends to see outsized order volumes due to many machinery manufacturers ending their fiscal year. This year’s March-April decline of 12.7% represents the lowest drop since April 2022. Some of this strong demand could be attributed to front-running the coming tariffs on imported goods and expectations of increased demand for domestically sourced manufactured goods and components. Despite declines in overall manufacturing output, machinery manufacturers increased production by 0.3% in April, continuing the upward trend that began in October 2024.
Orders of manufacturing technology from contract machine shops showed signs of continuing demand, declining by only 6.3% from March to April 2025; the overall market fell by more than twice that number. Primary metal manufacturers increased orders to their highest level since February 2024. If the recent tariff increase on metals remains, orders from this sector could increase as domestic suppliers attempt to meet new demand with limited available capacity. Orders from aerospace manufacturers dropped by nearly half from their March 2025 levels but remained slightly above their 2024 monthly average.
Demand held the industry’s upward momentum through April, and learning the true impact of recent tariff announcements could take some time due to their erratic implementation. The National Association of Manufacturers’ recently released Manufacturer’s Outlook Survey showed a steep decline in respondents reporting an optimistic economic outlook compared to their previous survey. Despite this waning optimism, the survey also reported that capital investments are still expected to rise modestly over the next 12 months, albeit at a lower level than projected earlier in the year.
The United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) Report is based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program. This report, compiled by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, provides regional and national U.S. orders data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity. USMTO.com.
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.
IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show is where the creators, builders, sellers, and drivers of manufacturing technology come to connect and be inspired. Attendees discover advanced manufacturing solutions that include innovations in CNC machining, automation, robotics, additive, software, inspection, and transformative digital technologies that drive our future forward. Powered by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, IMTS is the largest manufacturing technology show and marketplace in the Western Hemisphere. With more than 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space, the show attracts visitors from more than 110 countries. IMTS 2024 had 89,020 registrants, featured 1,737 exhibiting companies, and included a Student Summit that attracted 14,713 visitors. Be the change at IMTS 2026, Sept. 14-20, 2026. Inspiring the Extraordinary. IMTS.com.
