Industria meccanicaMacchine utensili > Industry structure machine tools

Industry structure of machine tools 2022

Slightly stronger position of mid-sized firms in the sector machine tools than in machinery industry

Update June 23rd, 2023 - The sector machine tools consists of 484 manufacturers (2022). Their partition into three groups along the company sizes opens up the view to different positions in competition.

Two thirds of the manufacturers of machine tools (318 firms) are smaller companies with fewer than 100 employees. Their shares at the total sales of the sector, however, is significantly lower with 15%. So the majority of the sector companies are in a strongly dependent position in the competition with the two other groups in the sector and opposite their customers and suppliers.


The opposite pole constitutes the large manufacturers with 500 and more employees. These companies stand for 48% of the sector sales but consist only of 5% of the sector companies (25 firms). These companies coin the sector, taking often a key position opposite their customers and suppliers.

Industry structure of machine tools 2022.

Almost one third of the manufacturers (141 firms) has between 100 and fewer than 500 employees. This group generates 37% of the sector sales. Its shares at companies, employees and sales are relatively close together. This proximity of the three sizes indicates a certain balance among the competition forces within the sector as well as in regard to the relations to customers and suppliers.


In the sector machine tools the medium-sized company group has a slightly stronger position compared to the entire machinery industry. That is why its share at the sales is with 37% slightly higher than that of the machinery industry with 36% and its share at the number of employess is slightly higher at 43% that in machinery industry with 40%.


Accordingly, the position of the larger manufacturers of machine tools is somewhat weaker developed than the related group in the entire machinery industry. The share at sales of the former one is 48% compared to 53% of the latter one.


An influencing factor for the relatively stronger position of the medium-sized group is based on the broad range of its product segments.