Markets & Economy - vdma.org

The Economics and Statistics department provides you with all industry-relevant economic and market information. Benefit from our expertise and use our statistics as a basis for smart business decisions.

VDMA Foreign Trade supports you and your export business. We prepare topics relevant to mechanical engineering for you: up-to-date and easy to understand.

China has developed rapidly and, as a result, undergone considerable change. This has an impact on the economic and political environment to which the machinery and plant engineering industry cannot close its eyes.

Hyperinflation characterizes business life in Türkiye - but opens up market opportunities for component manufacturers in particular. Local companies face many challenges.

VDMA study shows need for catching up (or pent-up demand) for German financing offers

In our theme publication you will find facts and figures on research and development, innovations and patents in machinery and equipment manufacturing.

In our theme publications, you will find facts, figures and data related to vocational training, engineering courses, skilled workers, mechanical engineers and women in machinery and equipment manufacturing.

The popular publication series is being expanded to include tips for business success in the United States. The exclusive publication for VDMA members is now available.

In Germany, the VDMA organizes joint stands exclusively for its member companies. Abroad, there is the opportunity to exhibit at a "German Pavilion" / joint national stand.

Customers' reluctance to invest and the reduction of inventories have caused machine production in key manufacturing countries to shrink for several months.

Germany and the EU have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to cooperation with Brazil. The free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur states, of which Brazil is the largest member, would be a major step forward for both regions.

The US wants to reduce trade dependence on malign actors while reaching agreements with the EU and other trading partners with shared values. Does this signal a shift with implications for German industry?

The EU Commission's Directorate-General for Trade is launching an anti-dumping investigation against Chinese manufacturers of materials handling. The investigation is based on price distortions identified on the Chinese raw materials market.

Open markets are the lifeblood of medium-sized mechanical and plant engineering. But many hurdles make business difficult. The Berlin family business AMBEG shows the Green politician Audretsch concrete burdens on December 7th, 2023.

VDMA economists are forecasting price-adjusted stagnation in global machinery turnover for 2023 and 2024, while the picture remains very heterogeneous at the country level.

The planned EU supply chain law would overburden small and medium-sized companies and would not help in the fight against child labor. The EU should learn from the experience with the German supply chain law and make its law more manageable.

The quarterly report "Machinery & Equipment in China" contains relevant key figures such as production, sales, profit and investment development of the local mechanical engineering industry as well as important customer industries in China.

The business situation in India and Brazil remains positive. The companies surveyed there expect significant nominal sales growth in 2023 and 2024. In China, on the other hand, sentiment is at a historic low.

The exceptions to the reporting obligation were explained at the VDMA web event

Switzerland wants to draw up a new negotiating mandate for trade talks with the EU by the end of the year

Africa is a promising sales market for mechanical engineering. Economic cooperation must therefore be the focus of German and European policy, otherwise China will dominate the market.

Work assignments in Europe: Which reporting requirements apply in which country? Information sheets as a practical working aid for VDMA members.

For 2023 and 2024, VDMA economists are forecasting price-adjusted global machinery turnover at the same level as 2022.

Although machinery exports from Germany still showed a slight nominal increase of 2 per cent in the third quarter, growth rates have slowed considerably over the course of the year.

The mechanical and plant engineering sector only recorded a slight nominal increase in exports in the third quarter of 2023. For the first three quarters, exports grew by 8.7% to just under 156 billion euros.

The motto of Norway's appearance as partner country is: Pioneering the Green Industrial Transition.

Demographic change, a shortage of skilled workers, unfilled training positions - these are currently predominant issues in Germany when it comes to recruiting employees. But what is it like in other countries? We asked around locally.

German companies active in the UK continue to perform well despite the relatively weak economic development. This is the result of the AHK Autumn Survey.

Economic analysis and corporate planning require valid data for the relevant markets. This includes values for incoming orders, sales and inventories. We now show the development of these key figures in the USA in an interactive report.

Machine and plant manufacturers are looking ahead to the year 2024 with a subdued mood. A reluctance to invest and hire new staff is noticeable due to the high level of uncertainty. The order backlog is melting for many.

20 Process Tech CEOs and Business Unit Directors form VDMA members in Italy and Germany participated in the first Italian-European Process Tech exchange meeting held on 21.11.2023 at AHK Italy / Camera di Commercio Italo-Germanica in Milan.

China is becoming an ever greater challenge for the machinery and plant engineering sector. Many companies are reviewing their strategy for the country. Greater diversification is being considered, as is more local production.

Despite a number of major orders, order intake in September remains well down on the previous year. In total, the first 9 months of the year show a significant drop in orders.

How many apprenticeship positions are available in machinery and equipment manufacturing this year? How many applicants are there? How have supply and demand for the most important professions developed in recent years? Get all the information at a glance here.

The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) is represented at two locations in the USA: While the Washington office serves as a voice for the industry, the Chicago office serves VDMA members and their subsidiaries locally.

A failure of the negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and Australia would be a devastating signal. After all, export-oriented industry in Europe needs clear signals for more free trade right now.

The climate policy for Hermes cover has been in force since November 1, 2023. The VDMA had sharply criticized the concept in the consultation.

Particularly attractive sourcing opportunities exist in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Salary benchmarks for selected professional positions in Chinese mechanical engineering - exclusively for members

Partner, competitor and system rival: China's role has changed dramatically. While still enormously important as a sales market, Beijing is at the same time making clear its claim to determine the rules of global trade.

The EU's Global Gateway Initiative has the potential to become a real alternative to the New Silk Road. However, what is necessary for this is the willingness of the EU to participate in the financing of infrastructure projects in the Global South.

The EU and the US must quickly resolve their trade disputes. Long-term solutions are needed in the tariff dispute and on the issue of conformity assessments. Industries on both sides of the Atlantic would benefit from this.

For the leading trade fair in the oil, gas and petrochemical sector, there will again be a German Pavilion of the Ministry of Economics in 2024. The exhibition program has been expanded to include the energy sector.

Registration for German Pavilions organised by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs can now be made online. A one-time accreditation is required.

India's importance for the European mechanical and plant engineering industry is increasing all the time. Exports are growing and numerous companies, including those from Germany, are expanding their involvement in the country. The VDMA is counting on a free trade agreement between the EU and India.

VDMA Austria invited with VDMA foreign trade law expert RA Klaus Friedrich to exchange experiences on export control and sanctions in Vienna

The trend of declining orders in the machinery and plant engineering sector continued in August. Overall, orders fell by 21 percent in real terms.

Export credit guarantees are to be linked to strict climate policy requirements. This will lead to considerable disadvantages for German exporters. The climate policy sector guidelines must therefore not enter into force on October 1.

VDMA Foreign Trade offers sourcing events with different regional focuses

How are imports and exports from and to China developing? How can European machine builders maintain their market position in view of technological developments in China? Daniel Yoo, office manager VDMA-Shanghai, provides information.