New orders for metal cutting, forming and fabricating machinery (Manufacturing technology) totaled $392.7 million in May, posting another monthly decline while the market continues to outperform 2024 and show higher order values, according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology’s monthly Manufacturing Technology Orders Report (USMTO).

That May total fell 11.8% from April but marked a 2.7% increase year-over-year. April posted a 12.7% monthly decline.

Year-to-date, orders placed through May totaled $2.09 billion, up 15% from a year earlier.

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The USMTO noted that while orders of manufacturing technology fell in March, April and May month-to-month, the market continued to show signs of recovery, with each month in 2025 exceeding the same month in 2024. May order value was 16% above the average for the month. Unit growth was more modest, with orders through May up 4.7% from the same period in 2024, the strongest since 2021.

The May report also shared the following:

• Engine, turbine and power transmission manufacturers recorded their highest investment in new metalworking machinery since February 2023, potentially reflecting continued demand growth in electrical equipment manufacturing driven by rising grid requirements from data centers.
• May 2025 machinery orders from the aerospace sector declined to typical monthly levels after peaking in March 2023 but continue to show an upward trend.
• As of May, new factory orders for nondefense aircraft and parts were 164% higher than in 2024. Incorporating these orders into production schedules may further increase capacity utilization among aerospace manufacturers without corresponding investment in production technology.

“Manufacturing technology orders remained relatively strong in April and May 2025 despite the economic uncertainty caused by the irregular implementation of tariff policy over those months,” the report said. “The recently passed tax and spending policy package will provide a degree of certainty to all businesses and includes major incentives for manufacturers, which could lead to additional machinery investments in the second half of 2025.”