Shipments of cutting tools, measured by the Cutting Tool Market Report, a collaboration between AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI), totaled $259.3 million in March 2026. Orders increased 15.2% from February 2026 and were up 24.6% from March 2025. Year-to-date shipments totaled $705.1 million, up 15.9% from the same period in 2025. Unit shipments increased in each of the past two months, with a modest rise from January to February followed by a larger increase from February to March.

“Most machine shops are booking customer orders for all types of manufactured components at a pace not seen for several years, driving the demand for tooling and new equipment,” said Jack Burley, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group and president of Big Daishowa, a cutting tool manufacturer. “As a result, the March total for cutting tool shipments broke all records, a clear indication that toolmakers are working hard to meet delivery demands and maintain inventory. Behind the good news are concerns about increasing costs and shortages of tungsten carbide and high-speed steel, as well as the escalating price of oil and gas due to the conflict in the Middle East.”