The report below gives a good overview of the Fall 2026 M&A activity in the Metal Fabrication Industry Sector. The global fabricated metal products market was valued at $374.9 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach $465.6 billion by 2031, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4%, supported by spending on data centers, power infrastructure and defense programs. Fabricators ended the third quarter with healthy backlogs, but steel cost inflation outpaced most shops' ability to pass through price increases, which compressed margins. In the United States, the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a monthly measure of factory activity, moved from 55.6 in July to 54.6 in August and 54.5 in September, a ninth straight month of growth, and fabricated metal products was among twelve industries reporting growth in September. New orders strengthened to 55.3, while the survey's prices index rose to 77.9 from 71.1 in August. Producer prices for steel mill products increased 1.7% in August, and hot-rolled coil was quoted near $1,213 per short ton in September, as mill utilization reached about 80% and service center inventories fell to their lowest level since 2021. Federal Reserve data showed industrial production unchanged in August, with manufacturing output down 0.3% after seven months of gains. In Asia, China's official manufacturing PMI returned to growth at 50.1 in September after two months of decline, although higher input prices continued to squeeze producer margins. In Europe, the eurozone manufacturing PMI rose to 52.9 in September from 52.7 in August. Demand held up across the quarter, so the margin outcome rested on how accurately shops priced their work and how much capacity they had to complete it.
Posted by Jim Zipursky.