Machinery industry sales grow 10,6% until August

Machinery and equipment industry sales revenue reached R$200,8 billion in the first eight months of the year (January to August), 10,6% higher than in the same period in 2024. However, the result shows a slowdown in sales growth in 2025: in the accumulated total up to July, the increase, compared to the previous year, was 13,6%. The data, released this Wednesday (1st), are from the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Industry (Abimaq).

In August, with the start of the US tariff hike against Brazil, sales revenue fell 5,6% compared to the same month in 2024, reaching R$26,5 billion. "This sector revenue performance was in line with expectations. The trend for the coming months is for continued slowdown, reflecting the contractionary monetary policy and exacerbated by the tariff hike on machinery and equipment products," the entity said in a statement.

From January to August, the sector's domestic sales revenue totaled R$153,2 billion, 12,7% higher than the same period last year. Meanwhile, the sector's exports totaled US$8,3 billion in the first eight months of 2025, a slight decrease of 0,1% compared to the same period in 2024.

"Despite the stability, among the exported product groups, there was an increase in sales of agricultural machinery, machinery for non-durable consumer goods, and components. The greatest growth occurred in sales to South American countries and, to a greater extent, to Argentina, Chile, and Peru," the entity noted in a statement.

Change in exports

According to the association, in the year to 2025, there were significant changes in the main destinations for Brazilian machinery and equipment exports. Sales to North America fell 9%, while Europe and South America grew 11,6% and 17,2%, respectively.

In South America, the highlight was Argentina, with a 47,2% increase in exports, driven by the expansion in sales of machinery for agriculture (+82,8%) and construction (+80,1%).

Sales to the United States, which accounted for 25,9% of the sector's exports in 2025, fell by 7,5% through August, mainly due to a 14,9% decline in demand for construction machinery. In 2024, sales to the United States accounted for 26,9% of the sector's total exports.

Imports maintained their growth trajectory, totaling US$21,1 billion from January to August, an increase of 9,1% compared to the same period in 2024.

Imports in August were mainly from China (30,6% of the total), which recorded a 12,9% increase in its sales to Brazil compared to July. Year-to-date, through August, China also remains the main source of imports, both in terms of share (31,8% of the total) and growth rate (+18,0%) compared to 2024.