Demand in North Rhine-Westphalia’s machinery and plant engineering sector remains weak: In May 2026, order intake was significantly below the previous year’s level—with international business in particular weighing on the trend.
In April 2026, incoming orders in the mechanical engineering sector in NRW were 5% below the previous year in real terms. Germany lost 4%, other countries 5%; the eurozone fell by 8%.
In March 2026, incoming orders in the NRW mechanical engineering sector were down 4% year-on-year in real terms. Domestic 1%, foreign -6%; eurozone -20%, non-eurozone 2%.
In February 2026, incoming orders in mechanical and plant engineering in North Rhine‑Westphalia were down a real 21 percent year on year, with declines of 38 percent in domestic orders and 8 percent in foreign orders; the non‑euro area recorded a decrease of 12 percent, while the euro area stagnated.
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 December 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia exceeded the previous year’s level by 14% in real terms.
In November 2025, the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia recorded a 4% decline in incoming orders in real terms compared to the previous year.
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 August 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 2% down on the previous year.
In July 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 1% higher than in the previous year.