In January 2026, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 5% below the previous year, characterized by significant declines in Germany and the eurozone as well as a slight increase from the non-eurozone.
In January 2026, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia fell short of the previous year’s level by 5% in real terms. Domestic orders were down 10% and orders from abroad were down 2%. The eurozone contributed to this foreign result with a drop of 11% and the non-eurozone with an increase of 4%.
In the less volatile three-month period from November 2025 to January 2026, order intake remained unchanged compared to the previous year ( /- 0%). Domestic demand fell by 5%, while foreign demand rose by 2%. Orders from the eurozone fell by 4% compared to the same period last year, while incoming orders from outside the eurozone were 5% higher than in 2025.
After incoming orders had raised hopes of an economic upturn in recent months, the result for January fell short of expectations. It now remains to be seen whether this trend will continue in the coming months or is merely a short-term fluctuation. In view of the strong export orientation of the mechanical and plant engineering sector, the current increase in geopolitical uncertainties also represents a further challenge for the industry’s willingness to invest.