Politics & Associations

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.

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.

Milling Meeting, Eroding Meeting and Practical Forum 'Additive Manufacturing' in June 2025

The orders for manufacturing technology, measured by the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report published by AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology, amounted to a total of $513.8 million in December 2024, the highest level since March 2023.

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.