Politics & Associations

Positive snapshot, characterized by foreign business

The machine manufacturing companies are still waiting for a significant revival in their order books. In May, they recorded a net order decline of 1 percent in real terms.

German economy demands faster progress in humanoid robotics

For the machinery and plant engineering sector in Germany, April showed a mixed picture. Foreign demand is positive, while domestic demand is declining. Political action is needed to create better conditions at the location in Germany.

In the first quarter of 2026, the order index for machine tools developed by the Centro Studi & Cultura di Impresa of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE recorded an increase of 3.1% compared to the period of January-March 2025. The absolute index value has settled at 87.1 (base 100 in 2021).

Together raising the voice for tool and mold making

With the publication of the updated RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU on December 12, 2025, the European Union has formally confirmed the gradual ban on lead as an alloying component in electrical and electronic applications.

Dr. Kurt Schmalz and Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Schmalz received the Order of Merit from Baden-Württemberg.

Humanoid Agile ONE makes Physical AI tangible at the Hannover Messe 2026. Agile Robots brings the factory of the future to life with live demos and shows how Physical AI transforms industrial production.

The dynamics of machine demand from the end of 2025 in US manufacturing technology continues in the first two months of 2026