GITNUXREPORT 2026

Fabrication Industry Statistics

The global fabrication industry is growing steadily and investing heavily in technological innovation.

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

The U.S. metal fabrication industry employed 1.42 million workers in 2023.

Statistic 2

Average hourly wage for fabricators in U.S.: $24.50 in 2023.

Statistic 3

15% of U.S. fabrication workforce was over 55 years old in 2023.

Statistic 4

Women comprised 12.3% of metal fabricators in the U.S. in 2023.

Statistic 5

Global fabrication labor shortage affected 68% of firms in 2023 survey.

Statistic 6

U.S. fabrication employment grew 2.1% YoY to 1.45 million in Q4 2023.

Statistic 7

Welders in fabrication: 404,000 employed in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 8

25% increase in apprenticeship programs for fabrication since 2020 in EU.

Statistic 9

Average tenure for fabrication workers in U.S.: 8.2 years in 2023.

Statistic 10

Machinists employment: 286,000 in U.S. fabrication sector 2023.

Statistic 11

47% of fabrication firms reported hiring difficulties in 2023 NAM survey.

Statistic 12

U.K. fabrication employment: 142,000 full-time in 2023.

Statistic 13

Turnover rate in U.S. fabrication: 28.5% annually in 2023.

Statistic 14

Sheet metal workers: 139,000 employed in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 15

32% of fabrication jobs require vocational training per 2023 BLS data.

Statistic 16

Canada fabrication workforce: 250,000 in 2023.

Statistic 17

Automation reduced manual labor needs by 18% in fabrication 2018-2023.

Statistic 18

Entry-level fabricator salary in U.S.: $42,000 median 2023.

Statistic 19

India fabrication employment: 4.2 million in 2023.

Statistic 20

Union membership in U.S. fabrication: 11.4% in 2023.

Statistic 21

Structural metal fabricators: 67,000 jobs in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 22

Remote work adoption in fabrication offices: 15% in 2023.

Statistic 23

China fabrication workers: 12 million in 2023.

Statistic 24

Overtime hours average 4.2 per week in U.S. fabrication 2023.

Statistic 25

Diversity hiring initiatives covered 55% of large fabrication firms 2023.

Statistic 26

Fabricator injury rate: 3.2 per 100 workers in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 27

Germany fabrication employment: 650,000 in 2023.

Statistic 28

Gig economy workers in fabrication: 8% of total U.S. workforce 2023.

Statistic 29

U.S. exports of fabricated metal products reached $92.6 billion in 2023.

Statistic 30

China exported $150 billion in fabricated metals in 2023.

Statistic 31

Germany fabrication exports: €85 billion in 2023.

Statistic 32

U.S. top export destination for fabrication: Canada at $18.4 billion 2023.

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Mexico fabrication imports from U.S.: $45 billion in 2023.

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India metal fabrication exports grew 12% to $12.5 billion FY2023.

Statistic 35

EU intra-trade in fabricated products: €320 billion in 2023.

Statistic 36

Japan exported ¥4.2 trillion in precision fabricated parts 2023.

Statistic 37

South Korea fabrication exports: $75 billion in 2023.

Statistic 38

U.K. fabrication trade deficit: £2.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 39

Brazil exported 5.2 million tons fabricated steel products 2023.

Statistic 40

Canada fabrication exports to U.S.: CAD 40 billion 2023.

Statistic 41

Australia iron/steel fabrication exports: AUD 8.5 billion 2023.

Statistic 42

Turkey fabrication exports: $22 billion in 2023.

Statistic 43

Italy fabricated metal exports: €50 billion 2023.

Statistic 44

Vietnam fabrication exports surged 25% to $18 billion 2023.

Statistic 45

U.S. fabrication import value: $128 billion in 2023.

Statistic 46

Netherlands re-exported €35 billion fabricated metals 2023.

Statistic 47

Poland fabrication exports: PLN 120 billion 2023.

Statistic 48

Taiwan precision fabrication exports: $60 billion 2023.

Statistic 49

France aerospace fabrication exports: €25 billion 2023.

Statistic 50

Spain ship fabrication exports: €12 billion 2023.

Statistic 51

Thailand auto parts fabrication exports: $35 billion 2023.

Statistic 52

U.S.-China fabrication trade balance deficit: $55 billion 2023.

Statistic 53

Belgium fabrication exports: €28 billion 2023.

Statistic 54

Indonesia nickel fabrication exports: $20 billion 2023.

Statistic 55

U.S. fabrication R&D spending totaled $12.4 billion in 2023.

Statistic 56

42% of fabrication firms adopted Industry 4.0 tech in 2023.

Statistic 57

Patents in metal fabrication: 15,200 filed globally in 2023.

Statistic 58

AI integration in fabrication processes: 28% adoption rate U.S. 2023.

Statistic 59

3D printing R&D investment: $2.8 billion in fabrication 2023.

Statistic 60

EU Horizon funding for fabrication innovation: €1.2 billion 2023.

Statistic 61

Robotic welding systems R&D: 650 new models launched 2023.

Statistic 62

Digital twin usage in fabrication: 35% of large firms 2023.

Statistic 63

NSF grants for fabrication tech: $450 million U.S. 2023.

Statistic 64

Laser tech patents in fabrication: 4,500 in 2023.

Statistic 65

IoT sensors deployed in fabs: 12 million units 2023.

Statistic 66

Collaborative robots (cobots) R&D spend: $1.1 billion global 2023.

Statistic 67

Sustainable fabrication processes: 520 new patents 2023.

Statistic 68

AR/VR training simulations for fabricators: 22% adoption 2023.

Statistic 69

Predictive maintenance AI models: 1,200 deployed in industry 2023.

Statistic 70

Nanofabrication R&D funding: $3.5 billion Asia 2023.

Statistic 71

Blockchain for supply chain in fabrication: 15 pilot projects 2023.

Statistic 72

U.K. Innovate funding for fabrication: £250 million 2023.

Statistic 73

Machine learning optimization patents: 2,800 in fab 2023.

Statistic 74

Hybrid manufacturing systems R&D: $900 million U.S. 2023.

Statistic 75

Edge computing in fabrication plants: 40% rollout 2023.

Statistic 76

Green hydrogen welding tech prototypes: 45 in 2023.

Statistic 77

Quantum sensors for quality control R&D: $200 million 2023.

Statistic 78

CAD/CAM software advancements: 180 new features 2023.

Statistic 79

Recycling tech for fab scrap: 310 innovations patented 2023.

Statistic 80

5G-enabled fabrication lines: 1,500 installed globally 2023.

Statistic 81

In 2022, the global metal fabrication market size was valued at USD 198.5 billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017-2022.

Statistic 82

The U.S. fabricated metal product manufacturing industry generated $289 billion in revenue in 2023.

Statistic 83

Asia-Pacific accounted for 42% of the global fabrication market share in 2023 due to rapid industrialization.

Statistic 84

The automotive sector represented 28% of metal fabrication demand in North America in 2022.

Statistic 85

Global fabrication equipment market reached $15.6 billion in 2023, projected to hit $22.1 billion by 2030.

Statistic 86

U.S. metal fabrication revenue grew 5.3% YoY in 2023 to $305 billion.

Statistic 87

Europe’s fabrication market was valued at €145 billion in 2022, with Germany leading at 35% share.

Statistic 88

CNC machining segment in fabrication grew to $92 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 89

Construction end-use drove 31% of U.S. fabrication revenue in 2023.

Statistic 90

India’s metal fabrication market expanded to $25 billion in FY2023, CAGR 7.1%.

Statistic 91

Laser cutting equipment sales in fabrication hit $4.8 billion worldwide in 2023.

Statistic 92

U.S. fabrication industry profit margin averaged 6.2% in 2023.

Statistic 93

China dominated global fabrication with 38% market share valued at $210 billion in 2022.

Statistic 94

Aerospace fabrication segment valued at $18.7 billion in 2023 globally.

Statistic 95

North American fabrication market CAGR projected at 4.8% to 2030.

Statistic 96

U.S. fabricated structural metals revenue: $92.4 billion in 2023.

Statistic 97

Global sheet metal fabrication market: $142 billion in 2023.

Statistic 98

UK fabrication turnover reached £12.5 billion in 2022.

Statistic 99

Welding services in fabrication: $28 billion U.S. market in 2023.

Statistic 100

Precision fabrication market grew to $65 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 101

Canada’s metal fabrication industry revenue: CAD 35 billion in 2023.

Statistic 102

Oil & gas fabrication segment: $42 billion worldwide in 2022.

Statistic 103

Australia fabrication market: AUD 18 billion in FY2023.

Statistic 104

Robotic fabrication market: $5.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 105

Mexico fabrication exports contributed $15 billion to GDP in 2023.

Statistic 106

South Korea fabrication revenue: KRW 150 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 107

Additive manufacturing in fabrication: $12.6 billion in 2023.

Statistic 108

Brazil metal fabrication market: BRL 120 billion in 2023.

Statistic 109

Japan fabrication industry output value: ¥25 trillion in FY2023.

Statistic 110

Southeast Asia fabrication market growth: 6.5% CAGR to 2028.

Statistic 111

U.S. fabrication produced 145 million tons of structural steel in 2023.

Statistic 112

Global aluminum fabrication output: 68 million metric tons in 2023.

Statistic 113

U.S. plate fabrication capacity utilization: 78% in Q4 2023.

Statistic 114

2.1 million tons of fabricated pipe produced in U.S. 2023.

Statistic 115

China steel fabrication volume: 1.02 billion tons in 2023.

Statistic 116

EU metal fabrication output index: 112.5 (2015=100) in 2023.

Statistic 117

U.S. CNC machined parts production: 1.2 billion units in 2023.

Statistic 118

Laser-cut sheet metal: 450 million sqm processed globally 2023.

Statistic 119

U.K. fabrication production value: £8.7 billion in 2023.

Statistic 120

Welded assemblies output: 320 million units in North America 2023.

Statistic 121

India stainless steel fabrication: 3.5 million tons in FY2023.

Statistic 122

Capacity utilization in U.S. fabrication: 76.4% average 2023.

Statistic 123

Global titanium fabrication: 245,000 tons in 2023.

Statistic 124

Automotive stampings production: 85 million tons globally 2023.

Statistic 125

U.S. tank fabrication: 12,500 units produced in 2023.

Statistic 126

Plasma cutting operations: 1.8 billion linear meters in EU 2023.

Statistic 127

Brazil steel fabrication output: 35 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 128

Additive fabricated parts: 4.5 million kg material used globally 2023.

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U.S. architectural metalwork: 2.3 million tons fabricated 2023.

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Japan precision parts fabrication: 950 million units in 2023.

Statistic 131

Waterjet cut components: 280 million pieces worldwide 2023.

Statistic 132

Australia fabricated products output: 4.2 million tons 2023.

Statistic 133

Mexico auto body fabrication: 18 million units in 2023.

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South Korea shipbuilding fabrication: 15 million CGT in 2023.

Statistic 135

U.S. handrails and ladders: 1.5 million sets fabricated 2023.

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Global copper fabrication: 28 million tons in 2023.

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Canada fabricated plate work: 1.8 million tons 2023.

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Picture a vast and humming industrial landscape worth over $300 billion in the U.S. alone; this is the dynamic fabrication industry, a global titan driven by automotive demand and laser-focused innovation, whose staggering scale and surging investments we'll explore.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, the global metal fabrication market size was valued at USD 198.5 billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017-2022.
The U.S. fabricated metal product manufacturing industry generated $289 billion in revenue in 2023.
Asia-Pacific accounted for 42% of the global fabrication market share in 2023 due to rapid industrialization.
The U.S. metal fabrication industry employed 1.42 million workers in 2023.
Average hourly wage for fabricators in U.S.: $24.50 in 2023.
15% of U.S. fabrication workforce was over 55 years old in 2023.
U.S. fabrication produced 145 million tons of structural steel in 2023.
Global aluminum fabrication output: 68 million metric tons in 2023.
U.S. plate fabrication capacity utilization: 78% in Q4 2023.
U.S. exports of fabricated metal products reached $92.6 billion in 2023.
China exported $150 billion in fabricated metals in 2023.
Germany fabrication exports: €85 billion in 2023.
U.S. fabrication R&D spending totaled $12.4 billion in 2023.
42% of fabrication firms adopted Industry 4.0 tech in 2023.
Patents in metal fabrication: 15,200 filed globally in 2023.

The global fabrication industry is growing steadily and investing heavily in technological innovation.

Employment and Labor

The U.S. metal fabrication industry employed 1.42 million workers in 2023.
Average hourly wage for fabricators in U.S.: $24.50 in 2023.
15% of U.S. fabrication workforce was over 55 years old in 2023.
Women comprised 12.3% of metal fabricators in the U.S. in 2023.
Global fabrication labor shortage affected 68% of firms in 2023 survey.
U.S. fabrication employment grew 2.1% YoY to 1.45 million in Q4 2023.
Welders in fabrication: 404,000 employed in U.S. 2023.
25% increase in apprenticeship programs for fabrication since 2020 in EU.
Average tenure for fabrication workers in U.S.: 8.2 years in 2023.
Machinists employment: 286,000 in U.S. fabrication sector 2023.
47% of fabrication firms reported hiring difficulties in 2023 NAM survey.
U.K. fabrication employment: 142,000 full-time in 2023.
Turnover rate in U.S. fabrication: 28.5% annually in 2023.
Sheet metal workers: 139,000 employed in U.S. 2023.
32% of fabrication jobs require vocational training per 2023 BLS data.
Canada fabrication workforce: 250,000 in 2023.
Automation reduced manual labor needs by 18% in fabrication 2018-2023.
Entry-level fabricator salary in U.S.: $42,000 median 2023.
India fabrication employment: 4.2 million in 2023.
Union membership in U.S. fabrication: 11.4% in 2023.
Structural metal fabricators: 67,000 jobs in U.S. 2023.
Remote work adoption in fabrication offices: 15% in 2023.
China fabrication workers: 12 million in 2023.
Overtime hours average 4.2 per week in U.S. fabrication 2023.
Diversity hiring initiatives covered 55% of large fabrication firms 2023.
Fabricator injury rate: 3.2 per 100 workers in U.S. 2023.
Germany fabrication employment: 650,000 in 2023.
Gig economy workers in fabrication: 8% of total U.S. workforce 2023.

Employment and Labor Interpretation

While the global metal fabrication industry is growing and aging its way into a significant labor shortage, it's simultaneously welding itself to the present with stagnant diversity, high turnover, and a stubbornly low adoption of modern work flexibility, suggesting the real fabrication challenge isn't just bending steel but reshaping its own workforce.

Exports and Trade

U.S. exports of fabricated metal products reached $92.6 billion in 2023.
China exported $150 billion in fabricated metals in 2023.
Germany fabrication exports: €85 billion in 2023.
U.S. top export destination for fabrication: Canada at $18.4 billion 2023.
Mexico fabrication imports from U.S.: $45 billion in 2023.
India metal fabrication exports grew 12% to $12.5 billion FY2023.
EU intra-trade in fabricated products: €320 billion in 2023.
Japan exported ¥4.2 trillion in precision fabricated parts 2023.
South Korea fabrication exports: $75 billion in 2023.
U.K. fabrication trade deficit: £2.1 billion in 2023.
Brazil exported 5.2 million tons fabricated steel products 2023.
Canada fabrication exports to U.S.: CAD 40 billion 2023.
Australia iron/steel fabrication exports: AUD 8.5 billion 2023.
Turkey fabrication exports: $22 billion in 2023.
Italy fabricated metal exports: €50 billion 2023.
Vietnam fabrication exports surged 25% to $18 billion 2023.
U.S. fabrication import value: $128 billion in 2023.
Netherlands re-exported €35 billion fabricated metals 2023.
Poland fabrication exports: PLN 120 billion 2023.
Taiwan precision fabrication exports: $60 billion 2023.
France aerospace fabrication exports: €25 billion 2023.
Spain ship fabrication exports: €12 billion 2023.
Thailand auto parts fabrication exports: $35 billion 2023.
U.S.-China fabrication trade balance deficit: $55 billion 2023.
Belgium fabrication exports: €28 billion 2023.
Indonesia nickel fabrication exports: $20 billion 2023.

Exports and Trade Interpretation

The global fabrication race shows a world still building things—the U.S. is a formidable player with deep ties to its neighbors, yet it's clear the real heavyweight prize fight is being won elsewhere, while Europe quietly mints billions from its own backyard.

Innovation and R&D

U.S. fabrication R&D spending totaled $12.4 billion in 2023.
42% of fabrication firms adopted Industry 4.0 tech in 2023.
Patents in metal fabrication: 15,200 filed globally in 2023.
AI integration in fabrication processes: 28% adoption rate U.S. 2023.
3D printing R&D investment: $2.8 billion in fabrication 2023.
EU Horizon funding for fabrication innovation: €1.2 billion 2023.
Robotic welding systems R&D: 650 new models launched 2023.
Digital twin usage in fabrication: 35% of large firms 2023.
NSF grants for fabrication tech: $450 million U.S. 2023.
Laser tech patents in fabrication: 4,500 in 2023.
IoT sensors deployed in fabs: 12 million units 2023.
Collaborative robots (cobots) R&D spend: $1.1 billion global 2023.
Sustainable fabrication processes: 520 new patents 2023.
AR/VR training simulations for fabricators: 22% adoption 2023.
Predictive maintenance AI models: 1,200 deployed in industry 2023.
Nanofabrication R&D funding: $3.5 billion Asia 2023.
Blockchain for supply chain in fabrication: 15 pilot projects 2023.
U.K. Innovate funding for fabrication: £250 million 2023.
Machine learning optimization patents: 2,800 in fab 2023.
Hybrid manufacturing systems R&D: $900 million U.S. 2023.
Edge computing in fabrication plants: 40% rollout 2023.
Green hydrogen welding tech prototypes: 45 in 2023.
Quantum sensors for quality control R&D: $200 million 2023.
CAD/CAM software advancements: 180 new features 2023.
Recycling tech for fab scrap: 310 innovations patented 2023.
5G-enabled fabrication lines: 1,500 installed globally 2023.

Innovation and R&D Interpretation

While U.S. fabricators boldly invested billions and deployed millions of IoT sensors to build the future, their true breakthrough was proving that a 28% AI adoption rate and a mountain of patents can coexist with 45 prototypes for green hydrogen welding, quietly forging a smarter and surprisingly more sustainable industrial revolution.

Market Size and Revenue

In 2022, the global metal fabrication market size was valued at USD 198.5 billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017-2022.
The U.S. fabricated metal product manufacturing industry generated $289 billion in revenue in 2023.
Asia-Pacific accounted for 42% of the global fabrication market share in 2023 due to rapid industrialization.
The automotive sector represented 28% of metal fabrication demand in North America in 2022.
Global fabrication equipment market reached $15.6 billion in 2023, projected to hit $22.1 billion by 2030.
U.S. metal fabrication revenue grew 5.3% YoY in 2023 to $305 billion.
Europe’s fabrication market was valued at €145 billion in 2022, with Germany leading at 35% share.
CNC machining segment in fabrication grew to $92 billion globally in 2023.
Construction end-use drove 31% of U.S. fabrication revenue in 2023.
India’s metal fabrication market expanded to $25 billion in FY2023, CAGR 7.1%.
Laser cutting equipment sales in fabrication hit $4.8 billion worldwide in 2023.
U.S. fabrication industry profit margin averaged 6.2% in 2023.
China dominated global fabrication with 38% market share valued at $210 billion in 2022.
Aerospace fabrication segment valued at $18.7 billion in 2023 globally.
North American fabrication market CAGR projected at 4.8% to 2030.
U.S. fabricated structural metals revenue: $92.4 billion in 2023.
Global sheet metal fabrication market: $142 billion in 2023.
UK fabrication turnover reached £12.5 billion in 2022.
Welding services in fabrication: $28 billion U.S. market in 2023.
Precision fabrication market grew to $65 billion globally in 2023.
Canada’s metal fabrication industry revenue: CAD 35 billion in 2023.
Oil & gas fabrication segment: $42 billion worldwide in 2022.
Australia fabrication market: AUD 18 billion in FY2023.
Robotic fabrication market: $5.2 billion in 2023.
Mexico fabrication exports contributed $15 billion to GDP in 2023.
South Korea fabrication revenue: KRW 150 trillion in 2023.
Additive manufacturing in fabrication: $12.6 billion in 2023.
Brazil metal fabrication market: BRL 120 billion in 2023.
Japan fabrication industry output value: ¥25 trillion in FY2023.
Southeast Asia fabrication market growth: 6.5% CAGR to 2028.

Market Size and Revenue Interpretation

Despite its seemingly industrial and unyielding nature, the global fabrication sector is bending and welding itself into a surprisingly nimble and indispensable $200 billion-plus backbone of modern civilization, proving that everything from cars to skyscrapers hinges on the precise, profit-squeezed art of cutting, shaping, and joining metal.

Production and Capacity

U.S. fabrication produced 145 million tons of structural steel in 2023.
Global aluminum fabrication output: 68 million metric tons in 2023.
U.S. plate fabrication capacity utilization: 78% in Q4 2023.
2.1 million tons of fabricated pipe produced in U.S. 2023.
China steel fabrication volume: 1.02 billion tons in 2023.
EU metal fabrication output index: 112.5 (2015=100) in 2023.
U.S. CNC machined parts production: 1.2 billion units in 2023.
Laser-cut sheet metal: 450 million sqm processed globally 2023.
U.K. fabrication production value: £8.7 billion in 2023.
Welded assemblies output: 320 million units in North America 2023.
India stainless steel fabrication: 3.5 million tons in FY2023.
Capacity utilization in U.S. fabrication: 76.4% average 2023.
Global titanium fabrication: 245,000 tons in 2023.
Automotive stampings production: 85 million tons globally 2023.
U.S. tank fabrication: 12,500 units produced in 2023.
Plasma cutting operations: 1.8 billion linear meters in EU 2023.
Brazil steel fabrication output: 35 million tons in 2023.
Additive fabricated parts: 4.5 million kg material used globally 2023.
U.S. architectural metalwork: 2.3 million tons fabricated 2023.
Japan precision parts fabrication: 950 million units in 2023.
Waterjet cut components: 280 million pieces worldwide 2023.
Australia fabricated products output: 4.2 million tons 2023.
Mexico auto body fabrication: 18 million units in 2023.
South Korea shipbuilding fabrication: 15 million CGT in 2023.
U.S. handrails and ladders: 1.5 million sets fabricated 2023.
Global copper fabrication: 28 million tons in 2023.
Canada fabricated plate work: 1.8 million tons 2023.

Production and Capacity Interpretation

While America is still a formidable contender in the fabrication game, it's clear the world is holding the tape measure, as China alone churns out steel like we're in a galactic arms race, producing nearly ten times more than the U.S. and proving that in global manufacturing, size still matters.