20 Most Sought-After Manufacturing Sectors in 2024

By: Frances Brunelle

20 Most Sought-After Manufacturing Sectors in 2024

As an M&A professional selling manufacturing companies for over 30 years, we are contacted by hundreds of buyers each month seeking to acquire manufacturing companies. Here are the 20 most sought-after manufacturing sectors in 2024:

  1. Additive Mfg. / 3D
  2. Aerospace/Defense
  3. Chemical
  4. CNC Components
  5. Electronic Contract Mfg.
  6. Fabricated Metal Products
  7. Farming Equipment
  8. Injection Molding
  9. Machinery & Equipment
  10. Measuring Devices
  11. Metal Finishing
  12. Medical Instruments
  13. MRO
  14. Packaging
  15. Plastics & Rubber
  16. Pump & Valve
  17. Robotics
  18. Semiconductor
  19. Screw Machine Products
  20. Testing Equipment

Some sectors are more sought-after in particular geographic areas. For instance, Aerospace & Defense potential buyers are currently concentrated in New England, the Southeast, the Midwest, and the Western U.S. Farming equipment is mostly in the Midwest, while other sectors like Chemical, Fabricated Metal Products, and Robotics are submitting inquiries from every geographic region in the country.

Although manufacturing business owners are retiring in record numbers, we’re still seeing a “Seller’s Market,” with buyers outnumbering sellers. This has resulted in strong sale prices in the above sectors.

While we normally see an M&A slowdown during a presidential year, we are not seeing that in 2024. M&A activity remains robust, with quality buyers seeking to conclude transactions prior to the end of the year. In the lower middle market, we’re still achieving all-cash deals for most transactions and a 98% success rate in sale completion.

If you are a manufacturing business owner and would like to understand if your business matches the acquisition criteria of our buyer inquiries, we’d love to speak with you. Although we get buyer inquiries from all over the country, Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers, Inc. represents only sellers, never buyers. We’re passionate about helping manufacturers exit on their terms, at great prices, with the jobs remaining in the community.

Even if you’re not quite ready to exit, we’ll help you be better prepared to go to market when the time is right. Our no-cost valuation process will help you understand how the best buyers will view your business and how to increase the value before you go to market.

Request a call HERE.

Even if you’re not in the 20 Most Sought After Manufacturing Sectors in 2024, we can help you understand the current value of your business and be better prepared for an exit.

Sign Up for Insights, M&A Tips, and Quarterly Newsletter.

Scroll to Top