Machine Tool Orders Spike in Q4
U.S. machine shops and other manufacturers booked new orders for CNC machining technology worth $538.9 million during October 2025, 9.0% more than the September order total and 40.3% more than the October 2024 result. According to the monthly U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report, from which the figures are drawn, new orders for machining equipment (“manufacturing technology”) have totaled $4.47 billion through 10 months of activity - 19.7% more than during January-October 2024.
“Both the value and the number of units ordered in October were the highest since March 2023,” according to an announcement by AMT - the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology, which compiles the USMTO report. “It was the third month in 2025 to surpass $500 million in new machinery orders – the most since 2021, when six months saw investments above $500 million.”
AMT’s report tracks manufacturers’ purchases of metal-cutting and metal-forming machinery, according to order value and machine units, nationwide and in six regions. USMTO is an index to future manufacturing activity because it quantifies machining operations’ investments in preparation for new production programs.
Through much of 2025, increased order values have been countered by lower numbers of units ordered. AMT attributed October’s positive direction to renewed tax incentives for capital equipment purchases, as well as consumer and government-backed demand for manufactured goods.
Illuminating this point is the improved demand for CNC machines by contract machine shops (aka “job shops”), the largest buyer segment in the sector. In October, those operations posted their highest order value since March 2023, more than two-and-a-half years. However, the new total represents the same number of machine units recorded for September 2024 - but at -13.2% less in value. The broad trend is toward higher-value machining systems with more advanced automation functions.
The October results also saw rising demand for manufacturing technology from aerospace manufacturers, notable as it corresponds to a strike period at Boeing Defense operations for several U.S. fighter jet and missile programs, as well as the extended government shutdown.
AMT also reported a significant increase in orders from manufacturers of industrial engines, turbines, and transmission equipment, pointing to growing activity in the development and construction of data centers as well as life-extending efforts for some coal-fired power plants.
The USMTO report details nationwide order activity as well as summary data for six regions: during October, manufacturers in the West region ($135.1 million, +51.7% from September) and Northeast ($116.4 million, +32.9%) showed the most improvement. The North Central-East region (+6.3%) also improved, while those in the North Central-West (-19.1), South Central (-17.7%), and Southeast (-16.7%) failed to improve from the previous month.
All six regions posted higher order values from October 2024, and all but one (North Central-West, -0.1%) are well above their 2024 YTD order values.