MT Magazine January/February 2026

Pockets of Opportunity Amid Economic Headwinds Amid ongoing economic, policy, and global shifts, manufacturers are poised for a year of transition in 2026, marked by renewed growth driven by investments in technology, defense, and energy. BY CHRIS DOWNS DIRECTOR, DATA PRODUCTS MTForecast 2025, which took place Oct. 15-17 in Schaumburg, Illinois, provided manufacturing leaders with insights into the market and policy trends their businesses are likely to face over the next 12-18 months. Beyond the macroeconomic and policy trends affecting all manufacturers, experts gave deep dives into specific manufacturing technology (MT) end-user markets and shared their outlook for these key customer industries. Highlights from the sector-by-sector breakdowns reveal a landscape of both opportunity and challenges.