March 2025 U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Hit $207.1 Million, Up from February

U.S. cutting tool orders reached $207.1 million in March 2025, according to the latest Cutting Tool Market Report from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI). The figure represents a 4.3% increase over February 2025 but a 4.2% decline compared to March 2024.

Despite the month-over-month improvement, the first quarter of 2025 continues to trail last year’s pace. Year-to-date cutting tool shipments totaled $605.6 million, down 5.9% from the same period in 2024.

The monthly report, jointly produced by AMT and USCTI, is considered a reliable indicator of U.S. manufacturing activity. Cutting tools are essential consumables in machining operations, and their consumption closely tracks overall production trends across the sector.

“Despite the uncertainty from Washington, it was still business as usual for most companies,” said Jack Burley, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group. “However, most tooling manufacturers are either dealing with increased tariffs for products sourced abroad or increased costs for raw materials like tungsten carbide, or both. These increased costs for perishable tools are already getting passed on, resulting in a hit to the operating margins for manufacturers.”

Bret Tayne, president of Everede Tool Co., noted that March was the strongest month since October 2024, showing a welcome rebound. “Despite the improvement, year-over-year sales remained below 2024 levels for the third consecutive month,” Tayne said. “Although this data precedes the ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcements, I’ve anecdotally heard optimism that the current volatility will be short-lived, and modest growth will return in the second half of the year.”

The cutting tool market continues to reflect broader pressures on U.S. manufacturing, including fluctuating demand, evolving trade policy, and rising material costs. Industry stakeholders are closely watching for signs of stabilization and recovery as 2025 progresses.