---
title: "Forging Industry Statistics 2026: US Market, Employment, and Outlook"
description: "Current US forging industry statistics. How big is the industry, end markets, process mix, top states, and 2026 outlook."
slug: forging-statistics
type: statistics
publishedAt: 2026-05-29
updatedAt: 2026-06-02
readingTime: "~9 min read"
keywords: "forging industry statistics, US forging market, closed-die forging, open-die forging, custom forging"
breadcrumb:
  - { name: "Home", href: "/" }
  - { name: "Forging Industry Statistics", href: "/forging-statistics" }
linkPhrases:
  - "forging"
  - "forging industry"
  - "forging statistics"
related:
  - manufacturing-statistics
  - aerospace-manufacturing-statistics
  - automotive-manufacturing-statistics
sources:
  - title: "Forging Industry Association Industry Statistics"
    publisher: "FIA"
    year: "2024"
    url: "https://www.forging.org/research"
  - title: "Forging (NAICS 332111)"
    publisher: "US Bureau of Labor Statistics"
    year: "2024"
    url: "https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag332.htm"
---

<UpdatedDate date="2026-06-02" readingTime="~9 min read" />

Forging produces the strongest, most fatigue-resistant metal parts used in critical applications: aircraft landing gear, automotive crankshafts and connecting rods, oilfield BOP components, military hardware, and energy turbine components.

<KeyTakeaways>

- The US custom forging industry generates approximately $11 to $13 billion in annual revenue.
- About 28,000 to 35,000 workers staff US forging operations across roughly 200 establishments.
- Automotive remains the largest end market at about 40% of US forging output.
- Aerospace, energy, oil and gas, military, and industrial machinery cover most of the remaining demand.
- Closed-die forging dominates US volume, with open-die forging filling specialty and large-component applications.

</KeyTakeaways>

## How big is the US forging industry?

<StatSnippet value="$12B" source="Forging Industry Association, 2024" sourceUrl="https://www.forging.org/research">
US custom forging industry annual revenue.
</StatSnippet>

<StatSnippet value="~200" source="FIA, 2024" sourceUrl="https://www.forging.org/research">
US custom forging operations, with most privately held mid-size companies.
</StatSnippet>

Closed-die (impression-die) forging dominates US volume, producing parts such as crankshafts, gears, axles, hand tools, fasteners, and structural components. Open-die forging handles larger and more specialized parts.

<StatGrid>
  <StatCard value="$12B" label="US custom forging revenue (est.)" source="FIA, 2024" />
  <StatCard value="~200" label="US custom forging operations" source="FIA, 2024" />
  <StatCard value="28-35K" label="Direct US forging employment" source="BLS / FIA, 2024" />
  <StatCard value="40%" label="Automotive share of US forging demand" source="FIA, 2024" />
  <StatCard value="$60K-$85K" label="Typical forging operator/setup wage range" source="BLS, 2024" />
</StatGrid>

## What forging processes dominate the US industry?

<BarChart title="Estimated share of US forging output by process, 2024" unit="%" series="Closed-die (impression-die):58|Open-die:14|Ring rolling:10|Cold forging/upsetting:13|Press forging (specialty):5" />

US forging splits across several process categories, each suited to different part geometries, volumes, and quality requirements.

<Callout type="insight" title="The aerospace forging premium">

Aerospace structural and engine forgings command some of the highest material and process control standards in any manufacturing category. Titanium and nickel-superalloy forgings for engine disks, fan blades, and structural components require multi-stage forging, careful microstructure control, NDT inspection at every step, and tight grain-flow specification.

</Callout>

## What end markets drive forging demand?

<DataTable caption="Estimated share of US forging demand by end market, 2024">

| End market                              | Share |
| --------------------------------------- | ----: |
| Automotive (cars, light trucks)         |  29% |
| Heavy-duty truck and equipment          |  11% |
| Aerospace (engine, structural)          |  16% |
| Energy (turbines, valves, generation)   |  11% |
| Oil and gas (downhole, BOP, wellhead)   |   9% |
| Industrial machinery and tooling        |   8% |
| Military / defense hardware             |   6% |
| Hand tools and fasteners                |   6% |
| Other                                   |   4% |

</DataTable>

<InlineCTA title="See where your forging operation ranks in AI search" body="Aerospace, defense, and oilfield procurement teams use AI assistants to compile shortlists of certified forgers. Run a free check on your domain." source="forging-statistics-mid" />

## Which states have the most forging?

<DataTable caption="Top US states by forging operations and employment, 2024">

| State        | Forging activity                                                          |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ohio         | Largest concentration; automotive, aerospace, oilfield                    |
| Pennsylvania | Aerospace, oilfield, defense, industrial                                  |
| Michigan     | Automotive forgings, heavy truck                                          |
| Indiana      | Automotive and industrial                                                 |
| Illinois     | Automotive, agricultural equipment                                        |
| Wisconsin    | Heavy equipment, industrial                                               |
| New York     | Aerospace, defense                                                        |
| Texas        | Oilfield, energy                                                          |
| Tennessee    | Automotive (transplants), heavy duty                                      |
| Connecticut  | Aerospace (jet engines), defense                                          |

</DataTable>

<PullQuote source="Forging Industry Association, 2024 Industry Outlook">
The US forging industry has consolidated meaningfully over the past 20 years, with the remaining operations concentrating on higher-value automotive, aerospace, and energy components.
</PullQuote>

## What does this mean for forgers in 2026?

The competitive picture rewards specialists. The handful of US forgers qualified for aerospace engine components or critical defense forgings face limited competition but stringent quality demands. Automotive forgers face commodity pressure on basic crankshaft and connecting rod work but win on lights-out efficiency and supply reliability.

Forgers that publish their material capability, press tonnage range, certifications, prime contractor qualifications, and example part categories win sourcing-team consideration ahead of generalist competitors.

<Callout type="tip" title="Where to go from here">

For broader context, read the [manufacturing statistics report](/manufacturing-statistics). For closely related end markets, see [aerospace manufacturing statistics](/aerospace-manufacturing-statistics) and [oil and gas equipment statistics](/oil-and-gas-equipment-statistics). To see how AI search describes your forging operation, run a [free AI-visibility check](/checker).

</Callout>

<CiteBox title="Forging Industry Statistics 2026" url="https://manufacturingseo.ai/forging-statistics" citation={`Manufacturing SEO AI. "Forging Industry Statistics 2026: US Market, Employment, and Outlook." Manufacturing SEO AI, June 2026. https://manufacturingseo.ai/forging-statistics`} />