U.S. industrial production and capacity utilization improved toward the end of 2025, with machinery manufacturing showing solid annual growth. Rising utilization in technology-intensive industries is driving capital equipment demand, positioning manufacturers to expand capacity and efficiency and support further output growth into 2026.
U.S. metalworking machinery orders eased in November 2025 but remained above historical norms. Year-to-date orders through November rose nearly 18% from 2024. Continued late-year investment suggests solid market fundamentals and potential growth in manufacturing activity heading into 2026.
According to the 2025 Jan-Dec statistics for Taiwan’s machine tool imports and exports, total exports reached US$2.004 billion, a 9.6% decrease year-on-year, while total imports amounted to US$643 million, representing a 16.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Statistics for Taiwan's key machine tool components from January to December 2025 show that total exports were US$1.506 billion, a slight decrease of 0.3% year-on-year, whereas total imports rose to US$197 million, a 10.5% increase compared to the previous year.
In November 2025, Japan’s machine tool orders declined month on month but rose year on year. Growth was mainly driven by strong overseas demand, especially from Asia, while domestic orders remained weak. Overall market conditions stayed solid yet cautious amid global uncertainties.
During the first three quarters of 2025, weak demand and a depressed domestic market weighed heavily on Germany’s machine tool industry. Orders and production declined, with only limited support from foreign markets. Capacity utilization and employment remained below long-term averages, pointing to a slow and fragile recovery.
