Architectural & Structural Metals Mfrs

The 13,179 metal manufacturers in the US produce structural, ornamental, and architectural metal products, primarily for use in the construction industry. Major product categories include sheet metal work; fabricated structural metal products; ornamental and architectural products; plate work; windows and doors; and prefabricated building and component products. Sheet metal work includes air conditioning ducts and stove pipe; electronic enclosures; roofing and roof drainage equipment; flooring and siding; and culverts, flumes, and irrigation pipe. Fabricated structural metal products include bar joists, concrete reinforcements, and structural metal for bridges.

Seasonal Sales

Sales are seasonal and driven by construction activity, which typically peaks during warmer weather.

Capital-Intensive Operations

Historically, architectural and structural metals manufacturing has been a capital-intensive industry and is becoming more so as the pace of technological change accelerates.

Aug 18, 2026 - Key Construction Index Improves

• The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) increased 6.9% in July 2026 to 291.7 (2000=100), up from the revised June reading of 273.0. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which has been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. On a monthly basis, the commercial planning component improved by 4.1%, and institutional rose 13.1%. Dodge’s associate director of forecasting, Sarah Martin, said, "Data centers and broad-based growth across key institutional sectors supported stronger planning activity in July. Sustained planning activity should bolster construction in late 2027, though real growth will prove more constrained as inflationary expectations are priced into project costs."
• US construction and engineering spending is expected to decline 1% in 2026 after remaining flat in 2025, according to FMI's third-quarter 2026 North American Engineering and Construction Outlook. Office construction is projected to grow 2%, with a 21% increase in data center spending offsetting continued weakness in traditional office construction. Amusement and recreation (+2%), transportation (+1%), and communication (+3%) also remain stable. Several building segments are expected to decline, including lodging (-9%), commercial (-5%), health care (-0.2%), education (-1%), and public safety (-4%). Manufacturing construction is forecast to fall 17% as semiconductor fabs and battery plants move beyond their most spending-intensive phases. Residential construction remains constrained by elevated mortgage rates and affordability pressures. Single-family spending is projected to drop 4%, while multifamily spending declines 1% as rents remain soft and concessions limit new development. Residential improvements are expected to rise by 5%, supported by home equity financing and inflation in renovation costs.
• Clarity around federal transportation funding could bolster demand for structural metal products used in transport infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges, and rail. Engineering News-Record reports that the Senate voted 90-6 on August 8 to pass a stopgap funding package extending federal highway and transit programs through Dec. 11 while allowing some Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) advance appropriations for transit and passenger rail to expire. The measure would generally maintain fiscal 2026 agency funding levels, extend surface transportation authorities, preserve certain highway and transit funds, and provide limited exceptions for specific federal construction projects. Transportation groups warned that losing the advance appropriations could cut public transit investment by 20% and passenger rail investment by 83%, potentially delaying projects and creating uncertainty. The Senate bill differs from the House version, so lawmakers must reconcile the measures before sending final legislation to President Donald Trump.
• Rooftop solar installations are creating new opportunities for structural metals manufacturers, Metal Center News reports. Metal buildings and metal roofs are a good fit for solar panels because they typically last longer than the solar systems installed on them, helping building owners avoid costly roof replacements during a system's lifespan. Greater opportunities exist when metal building systems and solar installations are planned together from the start. Structural metals manufacturers can benefit by developing solar-ready roofing systems, integrated mounting solutions, wire management systems, equipment enclosures, and other products that make solar installations faster, easier, and less expensive. As more states and municipalities adopt solar-ready building requirements and demand for commercial and residential rooftop solar continues to grow, structural metals manufacturers that offer products designed to support solar integration will be well positioned to capture additional business and benefit from the ongoing expansion of renewable energy projects.

Industry size & Structure

The average architectural and structural metals manufacturer operates out of a single location, employs about 31 workers, and generates $11.4 million annually.

• The architectural and structural metals manufacturing industry consists of about 13,179 companies, employs 413,900 workers, and generates about $150.8 billion annually.
• The industry is highly fragmented; the top 50 firms account for only 29% of industry sales.
• Some large companies are vertically integrated and own and operate raw steel manufacturing facilities, such as mini-mills.
• Large companies include Valmont Industries, Cornerstone Building Brands, OmniMax International (formerly Euramax International), Quanex Building Products, and Gibraltar Industries.
• Commercial construction accounts for the majority of industry sales.
• Structural steel is the most commonly used framing material in the US, and accounts for over half of framing used in non-residential and multi-story (more than four stories) residential construction, according to the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).