Market study promises the future of woodworking machinery - but forget the Chinese elephant in the room

The global woodworking machinery market is currently worth $5.27 billion and is expected to reach $8.53 billion by 2035, according to a study published in February 2026 by analysis firm InsightAce Analytic. The estimated average annual growth rate is 5.1% for the period 2026-2035.

The report, titled „Woodworking Machinery Market Segments Analysis Segments Analysis Report 2026 to 2035″, covers 180 pages and analyzes the market from several perspectives: operating principle (manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic CNC), product type (planing and profiling machines, CNC routers, edging machines, panel formatting machines, sanding machines), end-user (packaging/pallets, furniture industry, DIY, construction and carpentry, craft workshops) and geographic areas.

Europe leads, CNC dominates

According to the study, Europe dominated the market in 2025 and is expected to maintain its leading position, mainly due to Germany, Italy and France. The factors cited are strong industrial tradition, demand for customized furniture, widespread adoption of automation, and stringent sustainability regulations.

The fully automated CNC segment has the largest market share - which makes sense, given rising labor costs and increasingly stringent precision requirements. The furniture industry emerges as the most dynamic growth driver, fuelled by the expansion of residential and commercial projects, consumer preference for natural materials and the trend towards customization.

Growth drivers: construction, industrialized wood, e-commerce

The study identifies three main drivers. Global construction activity remains a key driver - from doors and windows to complex architectural elements. Engineered wood products are gaining ground amid interest in eco-friendly materials. And the growth of e-commerce is boosting demand for standard and customized furniture, prompting manufacturers to invest in faster and more precise equipment.

The main challenge reported is the volatility of raw material prices, which affects production costs and holds back investment.

Players mentioned

The competitive list includes names known to our readers: HOMAG Group, SCM Group, Felder Group, Biesse Group, Michael Weinig AG, IMA Schelling Group, Holz-Her, but also Asian manufacturers such as Nanxing Machinery or Shandong Baide, plus professional and semi-professional brands - Festool, Makita, SawStop or Laguna Tools.

Among the recent developments mentioned are the finalization of the acquisition of the Stähle-Hess grinding machine portfolio by Michael Weinig AG (March 2024), the launch of the FRAME BR-605E CNC line by Spanish company Comeva (March 2025) and the „Inside Biesse” event organized by Biesse at its showroom in Bengaluru, India (August 2024).

Editor's note: What this study doesn't say

InsightAce Analytic's study provides a useful structure and some benchmark figures, but has significant gaps that WoodIndustry.News readers should be aware of.

The most obvious: the absence of KDT from the list of market players. Guangzhou KDT Machinery is a company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (code 002833), with R&D center in Rimini, Italy, exports to over 70 countries and presence at LIGNA 2025. KDT is one of China's largest manufacturers of canting machines, panel formatting machines and CNC centers. Its absence from a market study claiming global coverage raises questions.

And he's not the only absentee. Companies like HICAS - which topped $100 million in exports in 2024, up 20% year-on-year - Hongya CNC or Ruiya are nowhere to be found in the report.

Even worse: the study does not capture the real dynamics of the Asian market. In 2024, China produced about 15 million units of woodworking machinery, or more than 90% of the entire Asian continent's output. China's exports of machinery in this sector reached 1.827 billion in the first nine months of 2024 alone, up 7.2% year-on-year. Chinese manufacturers' prices are 20-301TPTP3T below those of European competitors - a differential that is redrawing the balance of power in the market.

The InsightAce report talks about Europe as the market leader and CNC as the dominant segment, which is correct. But it does not address the really important question for the next decade: How will European manufacturers respond to the price and volume offensive of Chinese manufacturers, which are investing heavily in R&D, opening development centers in Europe and already have distribution networks on all continents?

This omission suggests a study based predominantly on linearly projected historical trends, without a deep strategic analysis of the forces reshaping the market in real time.

The full study is available for a fee, with prices starting at $2,499 for a single-user license. The data presented in this article come exclusively from public information on report page and from independent sources consulted by the editor. RDL Network has not purchased the full report and does not have a commercial relationship with InsightAce Analytic.