VDMA
Surprising increase in orders in February
The mechanical and plant engineering sector recorded a significant increase in orders in February. Compared to the previous year, orders increased by 8% in real terms.
After a slow start to the year, order books in the mechanical and plant engineering sector filled up in February. Domestic business in particular surprised with an increase of 11%, while foreign orders rose by 7%. Within the foreign markets, orders from euro countries rose by 4% and from non-euro countries by 9%.
According to the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), the growth is partly due to large-scale plant business and partly to repeat orders for current production. "Stocks have largely been reduced and reorders are needed," says VDMA Chief Economist Dr. Ralph Wiechers. However, investments in new machines remain at a low level.
In the three-month period from December 2024 to February 2025, orders rose by 4% compared to the previous year. While domestic business declined by 5%, foreign business grew by 8%. Orders from euro countries in particular rose by 6%, while non-euro countries increased their orders by 8%.
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