Through a 3-D Lens

Exploring the trade data on additive manufacturing machinery

Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, the World Customs Organization began adding codes for AM (Additive Manufacturing) machinery to its index, enabling the technology’s international trade to be measured more directly. With data through the end of 2025, four full years of trade in additive machinery are available. The following data was summarized by IMTS' Christopher Chidzik in an April 14 feature on the trade show website.

Since 2022, imports of additive machinery have been larger than exports by a growing multiple, reaching more than three times the exports in 2025. This pattern indicates a healthy and growing demand for additive technologies. Imports fell for the first recorded time in 2025, dropping nearly 14% from 2024.

However, the modest decline was after imports nearly doubled between 2022 and 2024. Metal-printing machinery, plastic- or rubber-printing machinery, and machinery parts each accounted for slightly less than one-third of the trade in additive machinery. The roughly 7% of the market that remains is machinery for printing all other materials.

Trade in metal additive machinery tilts heavily to the import side, with the annual value of exports averaging one-tenth the value of imports. Imports declined in 2025 to roughly 2023 levels, while 2024 achieved around $30 million more than those years. Imports of plastic additive machines also declined in 2025, but by far less than the overall market. For the second consecutive year, the annual value of imported plastic additive technologies has surpassed that of metal-printing technologies. Exports of plastic additive machines exceeded imports in 2022 but have declined since, leaving total annual exports in 2025 at half the value of 2022.