U.S. Machinery Orders Ease in September but Stay Above 2024 Levels

New orders of metalworking machinery in the United States declined from August but remained significantly higher than last year, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) Report from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

Manufacturers placed $493.1 million in new orders during September 2025, a 7.2% decrease from August but an 11% increase over September 2024. Through the first three quarters of 2025, machinery orders reached $3.93 billion, up 17.3% compared to the same period in 2024. This marks the highest September order value since 2022 and the first time since 2011 that September demand surpassed levels seen in an IMTS year.

Although order value remains strong, the number of units ordered continues to grow at a slower pace. September recorded the second-lowest September unit volume since 2009, a trend often linked to increased investment in automation. However, the ongoing government shutdown and the temporary loss of Bureau of Labor Statistics data have made it difficult to identify exact drivers behind the shift.

Contract machine shops saw only a 1.6% decline from August to September—outperforming the broader market—but their overall 2025 growth continues to trail total U.S. machinery orders. Job shop orders are up 12% year-to-date, compared to 17.3% growth across all industries tracked by USMTO.

The automotive sector recorded its highest order value of 2025 in September, even as unit counts fell to the third-lowest monthly level of the year. After significant investments in vehicle production lines in 2021 and 2022, automotive orders had slowed earlier in the year, but demand has risen nearly 15% year-to-date as some manufacturers shift resources away from electric vehicle production.

Despite multiple economic headwinds, demand for manufacturing technology has remained resilient in 2025. Still, industry analysts caution that the fourth quarter may be the most challenging period of the year. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, following the latest interest rate cut, compared operating without key economic statistics during the shutdown to “driving in a fog.” Forecasts shared at AMT’s MTForecast conference suggest a potential industrial slowdown in 2026, though its impact on machinery orders for the remainder of 2025 remains uncertain.