GENERAL NEWS
Metal forming business in U. S. and Canada
Metal forming manufacturers’ outlook for economic activity in May was unchanged from April, after declining the three previous months, according to the May 2025 Precision Metalforming Association( PMA) Business Conditions Report. Prepared monthly, PMA’ s report provides an economic indicator for the next three months of manufacturing, sampling 90 metal forming companies in the United States and Canada.
PMA’ s May report shows that 16 % of surveyed manufacturers anticipate an increase in general economic activity in the next three months( the same percentage reported in April), 46 % predict no change in activity( compared to 47 % in April) and 38 % expect a decrease in activity( compared to 37 % in April).
However, metal formers predicted a drop in incoming orders, with 34 % of survey respondents anticipating a decline in orders in the next three months( compared to 26 % in April), 44 % expecting no change( compared to 47 % in April) and 22 % forecasting an increase
in orders( down from 27 % reported in April).
“ Current average daily shipping levels also declined in May, with only 30 % reporting an increase in shipping levels( down from 44 % in April), 42 % reporting no change( compared to 41 % in April) and 28 % reporting a decrease in levels( up from 15 % in April). The survey also showed that 9 % of respondents had workers on short time or layoff in May( up from only 4 % in April), while 32 % are currently expanding their workforce( compared to 34 % in April). Twelve per cent of respondents reported an increase in lead times in May, the same percentage reported in April,” outlined the association.
“ As metal formers report shipping levels down and declining orders expected, PMA endorses the tax provisions in the reconciliation bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives, which would reduce tax uncertainty, encourage capital investment and support job creation across the industrial supply chain,” said PMA President, David
Klotz.“ PMA members met with White House officials and Members of Congress— including Members of the House Ways and Means Committee— to emphasise the importance of this legislation in supporting manufacturers and their workforce. The legislation will jumpstart investments, research and growth in the United States.”
PMA is the full-service trade association representing the US $ 137-billion metal-forming industry of North America— the industry that creates precision metal products using stamping, fabricating, spinning, slide-forming and roll forming technologies, and other value-added processes. Over 900 member READ companies also include suppliers of equipment, materials and services REPORT to the industry. n
www. pma. org
GMH Gruppe, Trafilix Industries and Marcegaglia were winners of the Made in Steel Awards 2025.
Made in Steel 2025 breaks new record
The Made in Steel 2025 conference and exhibition( from 6-8 May 2025 in Milan, Italy) recorded a 4.2 % increase in attendance compared to 2023, with 19,252 attendees from 81 countries.
“ To these must be added the operators registered at the LAMIERA trade show, who also expressed a willingness to visit Made in Steel( amounting to 5,985 attendees). In fact, the LAMIERA exhibition dedicated to the machine tool industry for sheet metal forming and cutting was held in partial conjunction with Made in Steel,” explained Made in Steel show organiser, siderweb – The Steel Community.
The Made in Steel event for the global steel supply chain grew exhibitor numbers from 320 to 387 participating companies(+ 21 %), with 34 % coming from outside Italy( up from 25.2 % in 2023). A total of 25 countries were represented, from major European players to emerging markets( among them the United Arab Emirates; Turkey; Germany; France; China; UK; Belgium and India).
“ The exhibition area expanded by 18.2 %, to nearly 18,000 square metres, setting a new record. More than 50 buyers attended the three-day event, thanks to our collaboration with the ICE- Agency for the overseas promotion of Italian companies. Online visibility also soared: over 463,000 website views, 213,000 social interactions and 5,000 video views of live-streamed content from the siderweb Conference Room,” confirmed the show organiser.
“ This edition marks a new beginning towards a global platform capable of showcasing the excellence of Italian and European steel,” commented Made in
WATCH
Steel CEO, Paolo Morandi. The 12th edition of
Made in Steel will be
VIDEO held in 2027. n
www. madeinsteel. it / en
ISMR July / August 2025 | ismr. net | 7