Machinery Exports of Türkiye Reach an All-Time High
In 2025, Türkiye’s machinery industry achieved a historic export record, demonstrating resilience despite a challenging global economic environment marked by weak growth, slowing trade flows, rising protectionism, and increasing tariff barriers.
Türkiye’s total exports grew by 4.5% year-on-year to USD 273.4 billion. Machinery exports, including free zones, increased by 1.9% to USD 28.7 billion — the highest level ever recorded for the sector.
Although export volumes declined in physical terms, the average export price reached a record USD 8.1 per kilogram, reflecting a strategic shift toward higher value-added and more technologically advanced products.
Key Markets and Product Categories
Germany remained the largest export destination, with shipments rising by 6.8% to USD 3.2 billion. Exports to the United States increased by 9%, approaching USD 2 billion. Notable growth was also observed in neighboring and regional markets, including a sharp increase in exports to Syria.
The strongest export growth was recorded in:
- internal combustion engines and components;
- construction and mining machinery;
- household appliances such as washing and drying machines.
Significant increases were also seen in turbines, turbojet engines, hydraulic systems, and food processing machinery.
Value-Oriented Export Strategy
Industry representatives report that export revenues were sustained despite cost pressures, volatile global demand, and tight domestic monetary conditions. This performance was largely driven by a focus on high-engineering-content products with higher margins and lower after-sales service intensity.
However, structural challenges remain. Annual machinery imports exceeded USD 45 billion, indicating continued pressure from imports and limited effectiveness of existing domestic protection mechanisms.
Market Diversification and Investment Trends
Demand for machinery in Europe remains subdued, while most new orders are coming from outside the euro area, particularly in defense, infrastructure, and energy projects. This has reinforced the importance of market diversification and engagement not only with the EU but also with its partner countries.
Globally, investment trends in machinery are shifting away from building new capacity toward upgrading existing equipment — improving efficiency, intelligence, and flexibility. As a result, service, modernization, and retrofitting activities are becoming increasingly important.
For foreign entrepreneurs and investors operating in or considering entry into Türkiye, the machinery sector continues to stand out as one of the country’s most resilient and strategically significant export industries.
At the same time, the machinery industry is undergoing a structural transformation. Global investment is increasingly shifting away from the creation of new production capacities toward the modernization of existing equipment, with a focus on higher technological content, automation, and efficiency. Defense- and infrastructure-related projects remain an important source of support for the sector, contributing to the development of advanced engineering capabilities and related industrial segments.
Against the backdrop of rising imports and continued pressure on the domestic market, competitiveness has become a multidimensional issue encompassing industrial policy, financial conditions, and the protection of local production chains. Under these conditions, the machinery industry continues to play a key role in Türkiye’s export structure, providing a foundation for further technological advancement and deeper integration into international manufacturing and investment networks.