By Rachael Pfenninger, director of strategic execution, AMBA
In late spring 2026, American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) conducted its Shop Rate Survey, which benchmarks US rates across moldmaking, engineering and specialty services. This year, over 80 domestic mold builders participated, providing insight into their average charge rates and available service offerings. This report, now a biannual effort, serves as a benchmark of what establishes the strength and value of the AMBA community. Not only is the information it contains proprietary and unique to the US mold building community, but its aggregate data is accessible only to current AMBA members.
What makes this data so valuable? Of course, its access to average shop rates provides benchmarks available nowhere else in the industry (for pay or otherwise). However, equally valuable is data on the types and quantity of services offered, as well as the trends identified year-over-year that illustrate how the American moldmaking community is shifting to stay in business and remain profitable.
Even more than that, this report provides access to the collective knowledge of its participants, who are identifying gaps in their businesses and sharing how they’re examining technology investments and implementing workforce strategies to do more with less. Its value comes from highlighting the best practices of industry peers and demonstrating how they’re moving their businesses forward through AMBA-driven opportunities, such as the AMBA Conference, executive-level discussions and plant tours.
“AMBA has a really unique ability to connect mold builders who are facing many of the same challenges,” said Hillary Thomas, vice president at Westminster Tool. “It’s an organization that is very specific to our industry, so the resources, conversations and benchmarking are directly relevant to the work we’re doing every day. In a business where margins can be tight and there are always new challenges to navigate, having access to that kind of knowledge and a network of people who understand the industry is incredibly valuable.”
Expert Insights Highlight Industry Trends
Additionally, the report’s value is fueled through the pairing of industry trends with takeaways from AMBA partners, like CAM-TOOL and R.E.R. Software, who identify how AMBA members are differentiating themselves in the marketplace and running their facilities more efficiently.
These industry insights bring the actual mold manufacturing landscape – and the meaning of its charge rates and service availability – to light. For example, Ryan Weekes, CGS North America, Inc., wrote the following: “Mold builders are investing in technologies that improve consistency and reduce dependence on individual programmers’ experience. Labor shortages and increasing part complexity are driving shops to capture proven machining processes that can be repeated across multiple programmers and machines. Rather than simply focusing on faster cutting speeds, the emphasis has shifted toward creating repeatable processes that reduce polishing, minimize handwork and enable more unattended machining.”
Ed Bassous, R.E.R. Software, provided additional context. He said, “By consolidating diverse operations, such as 5-axis machining, finishing and 2D operations, onto a single platform, moldmakers drastically can improve their effective shop rate and overall profitability. Eliminating the need to transfer parts between dedicated roughing mills, 5-axis finishers and boring mills slashes set-up times, reduces work-in-progress inventory and minimizes the risk of tolerance stacking from multiple set-ups.”
Curious about what the AMBA 2026 Shop Rate Report and its insights hold? Join the AMBA and gain access to this report and to the best practices and strategies of AMBA members who successfully are planning the trajectory of their businesses in the near- and long-term future.
The AMBA 2026 Shop Rate Report table of contents can be viewed alongside the full report (available for purchase by AMBA members) at www.amba.org/publications.