New orders for metalworking machinery in the United States reached $437.9 million in November 2025, according to the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) Report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. While the figure marked a 19.6% decline compared to October 2025, it remained nearly in line with November 2024 levels, with a difference of slightly more than $2 million.
Despite the monthly decline, cumulative machinery orders demonstrated solid growth. Total orders tracked through the first 11 months of 2025 reached $4.92 billion, representing a 17.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Industry analysts note that year-end order volumes often rise as manufacturers aim to utilize capital equipment budgets and benefit from tax incentives. November 2025 reflected this seasonal trend while maintaining the strong order momentum that began in August.
Order levels in November were approximately 26% higher than the historical average for the month. Excluding October, the three-month cumulative order value leading into November recorded the highest level since May 2022, highlighting continued investment confidence across several segments of the manufacturing sector.
Although most customer industries reported order declines during November, several sectors showed resilience and growth. Contract machine shops and aerospace manufacturers experienced only minor decreases compared to the overall market. Primary metal manufacturers, in particular, reversed a three-month downward trend with significant order increases, supported by North America’s continued growth in steel and aluminum production throughout 2025.
Additional growth was also recorded among industrial machinery manufacturers, as well as companies specializing in molds, metalworking machinery, and specialty tooling and die production. Industry experts suggest that these late-2025 capacity expansions could signal increased manufacturing activity heading into 2026.
Overall, despite the November slowdown, the metalworking machinery sector continues to demonstrate strong performance. Even without including December figures, year-to-date orders already exceed total 2024 volumes by nearly 5%. However, while favorable tax policies and improving financial conditions may encourage further investment in manufacturing technologies, analysts warn that geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty could present potential challenges for the sector’s continued growth trajectory.
