Economy

In February, the order books in mechanical engineering unexpectedly filled up by a real 8 percent. Part of this increase is due to large-scale business, and part is due to component business.

The German machine tool industry recorded a decline in 2024, but hopes for a recovery in the second half of 2025 with a new federal government.

In January, mechanical engineering also recorded a slight decline in orders. Foreign orders had a stabilizing effect, while the order volume in the domestic market is a cause for concern.

Orders for manufacturing technology amounted to a total of $357.3 million in January 2025, which is 29.8% less than in December, but 5.7% more than in January 2024. While the order value was 16.2% higher than in an average January, the ordered units were the lowest in a January since 2016.

Renewable energies and maritime applications give the automation expert a boost

The USA and China remain the leaders in the export ranking of the machinery industry in 2024. Overall, exports have fallen by a nominal 5 percent to just under 200 billion euros.

Mechanical engineering feels the impact of the recession - yet companies have only reduced their workforce by just under 1 percent in 2024. Even now, core staff should be retained as much as possible.

OVE Plasmatec, a service provider for the surface refinement of elastomers, reports revenue growth for 2024 despite a challenging environment

The order index for machine tools has increased in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The overall result of orders in 2024 in mechanical and plant engineering is disappointing. The wait for a turnaround continues. Better framework conditions at the German location are an important aspect.