In September 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were slightly below the previous year’s level. While domestic demand increased, foreign markets – particularly the eurozone – recorded a decline.
In September 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 1% down on the previous year. Domestic demand rose by 3% compared to the same month last year, while incoming orders from abroad fell by 3%. The eurozone recorded a 2% drop in orders compared to the previous year, while the non-eurozone saw a decline of 3%.
In the three-month comparison from July to September 2025, which is less affected by short-term fluctuations, there was an 8% increase in total incoming orders. Domestic orders fell by 1% compared to the same period last year, while foreign business increased by 12%. Demand from the eurozone fell by 9%, while incoming orders from outside the eurozone increased by 14%.
The monthly comparison shows the sluggish demand and underutilization of capacity in the mechanical engineering sector. Even the increase in the three-month comparison cannot hide this fact. The crises in global trade continue to cause poor figures in the order books. The necessary reforms to relieve the burden on companies have been sufficiently pointed out. It is now up to Berlin and Brussels to finally take action.