Politics & Associations

The order intake in May was a pleasant surprise - albeit on a weak year-on-year basis. Overall, companies have recorded a slight increase in orders this year so far, but global uncertainty remains high.

Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich will become a European hub for Space Florida

The order intakes in mechanical engineering decreased by a real 6 percent in April compared to the previous year. An expected dampener, given the uncertainty caused by US tariff policy.

Machine orders in the US in 2025 increased by 17.8% compared to the first four months of 2024.

The first quarter of 2025 resulted in an order increase of a total of 4 percent - it was the first positive quarterly balance of orders in three years. March also closed with a pleasing order increase of 4 percent.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the USA decreased by an annual rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025 (January, February, and March), reports the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The VDWF raises awareness of the industry's importance with the poster campaign 'Think global, source local!'

On March 18, 2025, the Association of German Tool and Mould Makers (VDWF) invited to the 'Practical Forum on Plastics Technology' for the fifth time. The online event gathered around 80 participants who engaged in seven expert presentations on the main topic 'Injection Molding in Europe'.

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.