Manufacturing Technology Orders Surge in August 2026
Manufacturing technology orders hit $732.9 million in August 2026, the third-highest monthly total on record, driven by OEM demand for automation and marking six straight months above $500 million.
New orders of metalworking machinery in August 2026 totaled $732.9 million. This contributed to a 36.9% year-to-date increase in manufacturing technology orders, which reached $4.76 billion for the first eight months of the year. August orders were 21% above July and 36.3% higher than the same month a year prior.
OEM demand for automation drives the current expansion
Original equipment manufacturers have been largely responsible for the current expansion in manufacturing technology orders. They generally have a greater appetite for automated machinery than job shops. This demand is reflected in market data showing order values have grown nearly three times faster than the number of units ordered since the expansion began. An ever-growing share of new machinery contains added automation.
Recent announcements highlight major manufacturing investments
Major companies are backing this trend with significant capital and workforce commitments. In Virginia, M.C. Dean announced a $412.5 million investment on Oct. 13, 2026, to expand its Modular Mission Critical manufacturing campus in Caroline County. The project will build two new facilities, creating the largest modular manufacturing campus in the U.S. with over 3.6 million square feet of capacity by 2030. It is expected to create 1,950 jobs.
Simultaneously, other industrial giants unveiled their own plans. Caterpillar announced on Oct. 15, 2026, that it will spend up to $10 million on workforce development in North Carolina, where it employs more than 3,600 people. This is part of a five-year, $100 million initiative. Christy Pambianchi, Caterpillar’s chief human resources officer, said, "Investing in people is essential to building the workforce advanced manufacturing will need for the future." The company recently announced plans to invest about $1 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina.
Also on Oct. 15, Hewlett Packard Enterprise revealed plans to invest $75 million over five years to expand its operations in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The expansion will create 75 high-skill jobs at a site that already employs nearly 500 people. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation authorized up to $5.1 million in tax credits for this project.
Separately, Cube Packaging will spend more than $30 million to expand its facility in St. Charles, Illinois. The investment will fund renovations and the installation of high-speed injection molding machines with integrated automation.
Market trends point to continued strength ahead of IMTS 2026
The August peak in orders came one month before the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. The industry has now seen six consecutive months of orders exceeding $500 million. Contract machine shop orders exceeded overall market growth in August. Historically, upticks in job shop orders lead to a broader recovery in manufacturing technology demand. If this demand sustains, order activity for the remainder of 2026 could exceed expectations.
The aerospace sector has accounted for a growing share of total orders since before the current expansion began. The data, from the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report published by The Association For Manufacturing Technology, signals sustained momentum. The industry is poised for continued growth as OEM-driven automation investments expand manufacturing capacity ahead of IMTS 2026 and beyond.
