Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in the USA

Today, the manufacturing companies that continue to grow and profit incorporate transformative technologies while also influencing their industry and setting new standards for success.

Calculating the magnitude of contributions to the industry, display of grit, historical significance, and overall revenue, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten manufacturing companies in the USA who are leading, growing, strengthening, and influencing— but most of all, innovating.

Established in 1917 as part of General Electric, GE Aerospace is a leading manufacturer of aircraft engines and aviation systems. Headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, the company has powered both commercial and military flight for over a century. Its innovations include the development of advanced jet engines such as the LEAP and GE9X, which deliver greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

In 2024, GE completed its transformation into a focused aerospace company, reinforcing its role as a multi-billion-dollar global leader with a vast installed base of engines and a long legacy of shaping the future of flight.

Founded in 1922, RTX (formerly Raytheon) grew from a three-person company focused on refrigeration to a multi-billion-dollar aerospace and defense manufacturing company with nearly 150,000 employees.

As a leading US defense contractor, RTX is identifying news ways to apply transformative technologies that push the possibilities of military training, weapon design, and intelligence capabilities.

Employing artificial intelligence, virtual reality, data analytics, and other forms of smart technology, RTX is making military equipment safer and more efficient.

Established in 1925, Pratt & Whitney, now a division of RTX, is a global leader in the design and manufacture of aircraft engines. Headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, the company is best known for its Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, which deliver significant fuel efficiency and emissions reductions. Pratt & Whitney has embraced additive manufacturing to produce critical engine parts such as fuel nozzles and turbine components, reducing weight and enabling complex geometries. The company also applies 3D scanning and digital inspection systems to improve maintenance and overhaul processes.

With its continued investment in smart manufacturing and advanced propulsion technologies, Pratt & Whitney remains a cornerstone of the aerospace industry and a multi-billion-dollar innovator in next-generation aviation.

Formed in 1995 through the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, Lockheed Martin stands as one of the world’s foremost aerospace and defense manufacturers. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the company’s legacy reaches into early aviation and space exploration, with marquee products like the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, missile systems, and advanced spacecraft.

Lockheed Martin has embraced digital modernization across its manufacturing operations. The F-35 is notable as the first aircraft designed entirely with 3D solid modeling—enabling components built to precise digital specifications and assembled with remarkable fit and finish.

Automation is widespread: laser-based cleaners strip coatings efficiently; robotic guided vehicles carry massive components; and laser ultrasonic inspection systems scan composite parts at speeds ten times faster than traditional methods. In Grand Prairie, Texas, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Center serves as a “smart factory sandbox,” driving adoption of robotics, digital tooling, and automation before deployment on the main production lines.

The company also implements augmented and virtual reality for faster design, assembly, and training, including AR/VR-enabled digital factories and smart, networked tools.

Through nearly three decades of strategic innovation, Lockheed Martin has transformed into a high-tech juggernaut, pioneering smart manufacturing, automation, and digital engineering to maintain aerospace and defense leadership. 

Founded in 1916 by William Boeing, Boeing has shaped global aviation through iconic airliners like the 737 and 787 Dreamliner. In recent years, Boeing has modernized its manufacturing into a “smart factory” ecosystem, integrating robotic automation, AI-driven machine vision, digital twins, and IoT analytics across its lines—resulting in up to 50% faster assembly and significantly improved quality on models such as the 737, 777X, and 787.

The company employs automated drilling and fastening systems (Flex Track, quadbots) in South Carolina and St. Louis, accelerating hole drilling and fastener insertion with high precision. Boeing also uses 3D scanning (optical metrology) to capture precise component fixture data during production, enabling flawless assembly.

Moreover, its additive manufacturing capabilities extend to producing 3D-printed parts for the 787 and 777X, including spacecraft components for NASA, yielding weight reductions and part consolidation. Smart-factory initiatives include digital threads, smart tags, sensor-equipped boundaries, and real-time monitoring systems to streamline tool tracking, workforce safety, and production workflows.

Founded in 1925, Caterpillar is a global leader in heavy equipment manufacturing, spanning construction, mining, forestry, and more. The company operates an in-house 3D Printing & Innovation Accelerator, with over 80 printers—both industrial and desktop—for rapid prototyping. This setup includes an Innovation Accelerator (design and model prototyping), Additive Manufacturing Factory, and even a Cat® MicroFoundry for small-volume castings via sand-based 3D printing.

Through these, Caterpillar has reduced development time and costs—like printing multiple bucket-tooth gauges, saving ~$160,000 in labor and time.

Founded in 1837 by blacksmith John Deere, Deere & Company has grown into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of agricultural, construction, and turf equipment. The Illinois-based company has revolutionized modern farming with precision agriculture technologies, including autonomous tractors, computer vision systems, and AI-powered sprayers. Deere’s See & Spray technology uses cameras and machine learning to distinguish crops from weeds, reducing chemical use while increasing efficiency.

At CES 2025, Deere unveiled fully autonomous tractors and construction vehicles equipped with advanced sensors, GPUs, and retrofittable autonomy kits. Through continuous innovation in robotics, digital connectivity, and automation, Deere has transformed into a multi-billion-dollar company shaping the future of sustainable farming and smart manufacturing worldwide.

Founded in 2003, Tesla has become the leading U.S. manufacturer of electric vehicles and energy solutions. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company disrupted the automotive industry with mass-produced EVs, advanced battery technology, and large-scale manufacturing innovations such as gigacasting, which replaces hundreds of parts with a single massive die-cast component. Tesla also uses robotic automation, AI-driven production scheduling, and digital twin simulations to streamline manufacturing at its Gigafactories.

With continued advancements in energy storage, autonomous driving, and vertically integrated production, Tesla has grown into a multi-billion-dollar company transforming both the automotive and clean energy industries worldwide.

Manufacturing vehicles in 15 countries, General Motors has dominated the automobile industry for decades. Despite its turbulent financial history, GM remains a staple of American manufacturing.

GM is recognized as the first automobile manufacturer to produce an affordable electric car. Consistent with its reputation for designing revolutionary automobiles, GM now focuses on engineering vehicles that promise more safety and fewer emissions.

Established in 1903 by Henry Ford, Ford is one of the most popular automobile manufacturers of all time. The Michigan-based company is responsible for creating one of the essential components of manufacturing— the moving assembly line.

Conceived in 1913, this revolutionary process reduced assembly time from 12 hours to roughly 90 minutes per automobile. Through its continued innovation, Ford grew into a multi-billion-dollar company with more than 90 automobile manufacturing plants worldwide.

If you are also a manufacturer striving to revolutionize your industry, contact us to explore new ways to innovate your manufacturing processes with 3D measurement technology. Our products offer a competitive edge by increasing quality, eliminating unnecessary costs, and improving designs, so you and your team can spend more time designing for the future.