The first months of 2025 have been encouraging for the machinery and equipment manufacturing sector: In March, companies recorded a slight increase in orders of 4 percent in real terms compared to the previous year. The weak domestic business (down 3 percent) was offset by a 6 percent increase in foreign orders. Eurozone countries contributed – also due to large orders – a total of 19 percent more orders, while non-Eurozone countries recorded an increase of 2 percent. 'The year has started well, but uncertainty about the further development remains extraordinarily high – especially regarding the U.S. tariff policy and possible countermeasures,' says VDMA Chief Economist Dr. Johannes Gernandt.
After slight order increases were recorded in January and February, there is now also an order increase of 4 percent in real terms for the entire first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year. This marks the first three-month period since the first quarter of 2022 with an increase in orders. Domestic orders from January to March were 1 percent higher than the previous year's figure, while foreign orders recorded a 5 percent increase (Euro countries: up 12 percent, non-Euro countries: up 2 percent). 'In foreign business, we are now seeing a turning point, while the domestic market remains consistently challenging. It is all the more important that the new federal government now initiates bold reforms to strengthen the location, leading to more investments,' warns Dr. Gernandt.
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