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Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Jack Dixon Jack Dixon London, United Kingdom Last Updated: June 2024 SIC G46.620

Revenue

£3.0bn

2024-25

£3.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XXX.Xm

Employees

13,098

Businesses

920

Wages

£XXX.Xm

Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry analysis

Machine tools wholesalers' revenue primarily flows in tandem with the broader level of construction activity and industrial production, which is cyclical. Since wholesalers import a hefty share of their products from abroad, they're susceptible to fluctuations in the exchange rate and global supply chain disruptions. The pandemic slashed manufacturing output while squeezed budgets subdued business expenditure, reducing demand for machine tools. The lifting of restrictions caused a resurgence in revenue over 2021-22 and 2022-23 as downstream markets scrambled to get their hands on machine tools. Over the five years through 2024-25, revenue is expected to climb at a compound annual rate of 1.3% to reach £3 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • The COVID-19 outbreak caused revenue to plummet. Low business confidence and tight budgets cut demand for machine tools over 2020-21. However, ensuing supply chain disruptions benefitted wholesalers who accumulated stock during the pandemic.
  • Metal-cutting tools are gaining popularity. This trend is thanks to manufacturers innovating and advancing the technological abilities of the devices, improving their efficiency and speed.
  • The North West is a manufacturing hub. The region is home to various manufacturing companies and boasts a solid demand for machine tools.
  • Wholesale bypass enhances competition. Many retailers bypass wholesalers by dealing directly with manufacturers, cutting out wholesalers’ roles. To compete, wholesalers have to lower their prices, which weighs on profit.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £3.0bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

COVID-19 wreaked havoc on industry revenue

  • During the COVID-19 outbreak, plummeting business confidence and squeezed budgets slashed business expenditures across numerous downstream industries.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Home-building projects will boost sales to residential construction companies

  • Under The Affordable Homes Programme, the government will invest £8.6 billion in building 120,000 new homes, around half of which will be available for affordable home ownership. This investment is part of the plan to build 300,000 new homes annually by the mid-2020s.

Biggest companies in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (£m)
2025
Sandvik Ltd
66.2
Trumpf Ltd
55.9
Amada United Kingdom Ltd
54.9

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Metal-cutting tools, Metal-forming tools and Joining tools. Metal-cutting tools is the largest segment of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Technological innovations are boosting sales of metal-cutting tools

  • Cutting machinery shapes or transforms metal by removing parts of it. Products perform various actions, including cutting, drilling, milling, turning, grinding and stamping.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in this industry sell machine tools used to cut, join or form metal and other rigid materials. Examples of joining tools include welding, soldering, brazing and riveting tools. Metal cutting tools include carbide, steel and laser-cutting tools; turning machines and centres; lathes; milling machines; drilling machines; and vertical and horizontal machining centres.

What's included in this industry?

Metal-cutting toolsMetal-forming toolsMetal-joining toolsWoodworking toolsJoining tools

Companies

Sandvik LtdTrumpf LtdAmada United Kingdom Ltd

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

SOLDERINGLATHEMILLING MACHINE

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 46.62 - Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The COVID-19 outbreak caused revenue to plummet. Low business confidence and tight budgets cut demand for machine tools over 2020-21. However, ensuing supply chain disruption...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Metal-cutting tools are gaining popularity. This trend is thanks to manufacturers innovating and advancing the technological abilities of the devices, improving their efficie...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The North West is a manufacturing hub. The region is home to various manufacturing companies and boasts a solid demand for machine tools.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Wholesale bypass enhances competition. Many retailers bypass wholesalers by dealing directly with manufacturers, cutting out wholesalers’ roles. To compete, wholesalers have ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The machine tool wholesaling industry is highly fragmented. Most companies operate on a small scale, serving a specialised market, which limits the scope for expansion.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Sandvik Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Trumpf Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Amada United Kingdom Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Sandvik Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Trumpf Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Amada United Kingdom Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Downstream manufacturing heavily influences performance. Growth in manufacturing output indicates increasing demand for the industry, as downstream companies require extensiv...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The weak pound pushed up purchase costs. Many machine tool wholesalers import their inventory from abroad, so purchase costs fluctuate with the exchange rate.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £3.0bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 920 businesses in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 1.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Machine Tool Wholesaling market in United Kingdom are Sandvik Ltd, Trumpf Ltd and Amada United Kingdom Ltd

What does the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Metal-cutting tools and Metal-forming tools are part of the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Sandvik Ltd.

How competitive is the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Machine Tool Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Machinery Repair & Maintenance in the UK

Complementors

  • Tool Manufacturing in the UK
  • Office Furniture Wholesaling in the UK

International industries

  • Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in the US
  • Industrial Supplies Wholesaling in the US
  • Safety Equipment & Supplies Distributors in the US
  • Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in Canada
  • Mining and Industrial Machinery Wholesaling in Australia

View all industries in United Kingdom

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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