Industry data
Manufacturing industry statistics
The numbers behind Australian manufacturing, gathered on this page: the value the industry adds, the people who work in it, what it makes, the businesses behind it and what they spend on new equipment and buildings. Each figure links to the Australian Bureau of Statistics release that published it and shows the period it applies to.
Reviewed 16 October 2026
Key figures
- $141,973 million industry value added by manufacturing
- $551,184 million in sales and service income for manufacturing businesses
- 878.4 thousand people employed in manufacturing
- 90,879 manufacturing businesses trading
- $9,692 million spent by manufacturers on new equipment, plant and machinery
Size of the industry
What manufacturing businesses sell, the value they add, what they pay their staff and how profitable they are, from the ABS Australian Industry release, which estimates them from an annual survey of businesses and tax data. Dollar figures are in current prices, so changes over time include changes in prices. Some businesses report for an accounting year that does not end in June, so some figures partly reflect trading outside the financial year.
$141,973 million
industry value added by manufacturing
An ABS estimate of the value of what manufacturing businesses produced, less the materials and other inputs that went into it, in current prices. The ABS notes it is related to, but different from, gross value added in the national accounts.
Link to this figure$551,184 million
in sales and service income for manufacturing businesses
Income from selling goods and services, including exports, plus rent, leasing and hiring income, in current prices.
Link to this figure$77,449 million
paid in wages and salaries by manufacturing businesses
Gross wages and salaries paid to employees over the financial year, up 5.2% on 2023-24. Drawings of working proprietors and partners are not included.
Link to this figure$34,648 million
operating profit before tax for manufacturing businesses
Total income less total expenses, plus the change in inventories, before income tax. Current prices.
Link to this figure4.6%
growth in industry value added over the year
Change in current prices, so it includes price changes. Industry value added was $135,724 million in 2023-24.
Link to this figure6.3%
profit margin before tax for manufacturing
Operating profit before tax as a percentage of sales and service income.
Link to this figure| Business size | Industry value added ($m) |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 employees | |
| 5 to 19 employees | |
| 20 to 199 employees | |
| 200 or more employees |
Millions of dollars, current prices. Businesses are grouped by their number of employees, and the smallest group includes businesses with no employees.
Link to this chartPeople working in manufacturing
How many people work in manufacturing and where. The headline count comes from the ABS Labour Force Survey, which asks people about their main job. The count at the end of June and the state breakdown come from the Australian Industry release, which estimates the people working for manufacturing businesses from business survey and tax data. The counts use different methods and cover different dates, so the totals differ.
878.4 thousand
people employed in manufacturing
People whose main job is in manufacturing, estimated from the ABS Labour Force Survey and seasonally adjusted. The figure for August 2025 was 862.5 thousand. The ABS notes there may be some shifts in detailed series following its Labour Force modernisation. The ABS publishes seasonally adjusted industry figures quarterly. Its monthly industry figures are not seasonally adjusted.
Link to this figure900,770
people working for manufacturing businesses
People working for manufacturing businesses in the last pay period ending in June, including working proprietors and partners. An ABS estimate from business survey and tax data. It differs from the Labour Force Survey count, which asks people about their main job, because the two use different methods and dates.
Link to this figure| State or territory | People employed |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | |
| Victoria | |
| Queensland | |
| Western Australia | |
| South Australia | |
| Tasmania | |
| Australian Capital Territory | |
| Northern Territory |
People working for manufacturing businesses in the last pay period ending in June, including working proprietors. The ABS estimates the state split partly by sharing out some multi-state businesses' figures across states using tax data. The states may not add exactly to the national total because of rounding.
Link to this chartWhat Australia makes
Manufacturing is divided into subdivisions, from food products to furniture. The charts show the value each subdivision adds and how many people it employs, and the cards below pick out the makers of vehicle bodies and trailers, mining and construction machinery, and farm machinery. All are ABS estimates from the Australian Industry release, and the figures in the cards are partly modelled from tax data.
| Type of manufacturing | Industry value added ($m) |
|---|---|
| Food products | |
| Machinery and equipment | |
| Fabricated metal products | |
| Transport equipment | |
| Basic chemicals and chemical products | |
| Primary metals and metal products | |
| Non-metallic mineral products | |
| Wood products | |
| Beverages and tobacco | |
| Polymer and rubber products | |
| Furniture and other manufacturing | |
| Printing and recorded media | |
| Pulp, paper and paper products | |
| Textiles, leather, clothing and footwear | |
| Petroleum and coal products |
Millions of dollars, current prices. Each bar is a subdivision of the ANZSIC manufacturing division. The ABS says the wood products estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution.
Link to this chart| Type of manufacturing | People employed |
|---|---|
| Food products | |
| Fabricated metal products | |
| Machinery and equipment | |
| Transport equipment | |
| Basic chemicals and chemical products | |
| Wood products | |
| Non-metallic mineral products | |
| Polymer and rubber products | |
| Primary metals and metal products | |
| Beverages and tobacco | |
| Furniture and other manufacturing | |
| Textiles, leather, clothing and footwear | |
| Printing and recorded media | |
| Pulp, paper and paper products | |
| Petroleum and coal products |
People working for manufacturing businesses in the last pay period ending in June, including working proprietors and partners.
Link to this chart20,033
people working in motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing
An ABS estimate, partly modelled from tax data. ANZSIC class 2312. Their industry value added was $2,905 million in 2024-25. Businesses are classified by their main activity.
Link to this figure10,527
people working in mining and construction machinery manufacturing
An ABS estimate, partly modelled from tax data. ANZSIC class 2462. Their industry value added was $1,866 million in 2024-25. Businesses are classified by their main activity.
Link to this figure6,665
people working in agricultural machinery and equipment manufacturing
An ABS estimate, partly modelled from tax data. ANZSIC class 2461. Their industry value added was $832 million in 2024-25. Businesses are classified by their main activity.
Link to this figureManufacturing businesses
How many manufacturing businesses are trading and how many joined or left the count over the year, from the ABS count of actively trading businesses.
90,879
manufacturing businesses trading
Actively trading businesses in ANZSIC division C, manufacturing, counted by the ABS from its Business Register, using ABN and GST records for most businesses. Businesses without an ABN are not counted.
Link to this figure11,326
manufacturing businesses joined the ABS count of trading businesses
Includes 7,935 business births, such as new ABN registrations, and 3,391 other entries, such as businesses that started remitting GST again.
Link to this figure11,134
manufacturing businesses left the ABS count of trading businesses
Includes 8,860 cancellations, such as cancelled ABNs, and 2,274 other exits, such as businesses that had not lodged a business activity statement for five quarters, or three years for annual remitters.
Link to this figure0.2%
growth in the number of manufacturing businesses over the year
Up from 90,687 businesses at 30 June 2025.
Link to this figureInvestment in equipment and buildings
What manufacturers spend on new equipment, plant and machinery and on new buildings and structures, from the ABS survey of private new capital expenditure. Used assets are not counted unless they are newly imported into Australia.
$9,692 million
spent by manufacturers on new equipment, plant and machinery
Actual spending by private businesses over the financial year, in current prices. Includes plant, machinery, vehicles, electrical apparatus, office equipment, and furniture, fixtures and fittings that are not part of a building. The figure for 2024-25 was $9,638 million.
Link to this figure$5,754 million
spent by manufacturers on new buildings and structures
Actual spending by private businesses over the financial year, in current prices. Land and previously occupied buildings are not included.
Link to this figure$15,445 million
total new capital expenditure by manufacturers
Buildings and structures plus equipment, plant and machinery, as published by the ABS. The two parts may not add exactly to this total. Actual spending, current prices.
Link to this figure1.6%
growth in quarterly spending on equipment, plant and machinery, after removing price changes and seasonal swings
Chain volume measure, seasonally adjusted: June quarter 2026 compared with June quarter 2025. Up 0.8% on the March quarter 2026.
Link to this figure| Quarter | Spending in volume terms ($m) |
|---|---|
| June 2016 | |
| June 2017 | |
| June 2018 | |
| June 2019 | |
| June 2020 | |
| June 2021 | |
| June 2022 | |
| June 2023 | |
| June 2024 | |
| June 2025 | |
| June 2026 |
Millions of dollars a quarter in chain volume terms (reference year 2023-24), seasonally adjusted, so quarters can be compared without price changes or seasonal swings. Private businesses only. The June quarter of each year is shown. These levels change each year when the ABS moves the reference year forward with its September quarter release.
Link to this chartCommon questions
How big is the manufacturing industry in Australia?
Manufacturing businesses earned $551,184 million in sales and service income and produced $141,973 million in industry value added, which is the value of what they made less the materials and other inputs that went into it.
How many people work in manufacturing in Australia?
The ABS Labour Force Survey estimates that 878.4 thousand people had their main job in manufacturing. A separate ABS estimate from business survey and tax data puts the number of people working for manufacturing businesses at 900,770 .
What does Australia manufacture?
Australian manufacturing ranges from food and drink, such as meat, dairy and bakery products, to metal products, machinery and equipment, vehicle bodies, trailers and parts, chemicals and medicines, glass, cement and concrete, timber, paper and furniture. Among equipment makers, 20,033 people worked in motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing, 10,527 in mining and construction machinery and 6,665 in agricultural machinery and equipment.
What are the major manufacturing industries in Australia?
By industry value added, the largest are food product manufacturing, then machinery and equipment, then fabricated metal products. By the number of people employed, food product manufacturing is again the largest, followed by fabricated metal products and then machinery and equipment.
Which state has the largest manufacturing workforce?
It depends on the measure. Going by the ABS estimate of people working for manufacturing businesses at the end of June, New South Wales has the largest manufacturing workforce, followed by Victoria and then Queensland. The ABS Labour Force Survey, which counts people by their main job, ranks the states differently. The state chart above uses the business estimate and shows every state and territory.
How many manufacturing businesses are there in Australia?
90,879 manufacturing businesses were trading. Over the year, 11,326 joined the ABS count of trading businesses and 11,134 left it.
Are Australian manufacturers profitable?
75.8% of manufacturing businesses made a profit or broke even. Across the industry, operating profit before tax was $34,648 million , a profit margin of 6.3% on sales and service income.
How much do manufacturers invest in new equipment?
Manufacturers spent $9,692 million on new equipment, plant and machinery, out of $15,445 million in total new capital expenditure. In the June quarter, after removing price changes and seasonal swings, their spending on equipment, plant and machinery was up 1.6% .
Using these figures
You are welcome to quote any figure on this page. Please credit the original publisher named beside it, and link to this page if it saved you time. Each figure has its own link, so you can send readers straight to it.
How these figures are put together
Every figure on this page comes from the published source linked beside it and applies to the period shown with it. Figures are copied as published. Nothing is estimated, adjusted or combined from different sources.
Each figure is checked against its source when the page is reviewed, and the review date is shown at the top of the page. If a source publishes a newer figure before then, or you spot an error, let us know through the contact page.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Australian Industry, 2024-25 financial year. ABS Economic Activity Survey and Australian Taxation Office business activity statement data. Data cubes 81550DO001 (Australian Industry) and 81550DO003 (Manufacturing industry), released 19 June 2026. Updates: Annual. The ABS lists the next release date as unknown. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Labour Force, Australia, September 2026. ABS Labour Force Survey. Table 020, employed persons by industry division of main job, and Table 021, by state and industry, quarterly data for August 2026, released 15 October 2026. Updates: Monthly. Seasonally adjusted industry figures are quarterly, for February, May, August and November; original industry figures are also published monthly. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, July 2022 to June 2026 (data cube 1). ANZSIC division C, manufacturing, from the ABS Business Register. Data cube 1, tables 1 to 16, released 18 August 2026. Updates: Annual. The next release, with industry class detail for June 2026, is due 18 December 2026. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, June 2026. ABS Survey of New Capital Expenditure, private businesses only. Tables 7 and 21, released 27 August 2026. Updates: Quarterly. The September quarter 2026 release is due 26 November 2026. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
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