Order intake in the mechanical engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia fell significantly in August 2026. The main reason is weak foreign demand—the three-month comparison shows a less drastic decline.
In August 2026, real order intake in the machinery and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia was 22 percent below the previous year’s level. Domestic orders declined by 5 percent, while foreign orders fell by 28 percent. A decline of 18 percent was recorded for the eurozone; in the non-eurozone, the decline amounted to 31 percent.
In the more meaningful, less volatile three-month period from June to August 2026, the real value of new orders was 8 percent below the level of the same period the previous year. While domestic demand remained unchanged at ±0 percent, foreign demand declined by 12 percent. The decline was particularly pronounced in the non-eurozone, with a drop of 15 percent, while orders from the eurozone remained 3 percent below the 2025 level.
The 22 percent decline in orders received in August underscores the persistently challenging market environment for the machinery and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia. Foreign orders in particular, which fell by 28 percent, are weighing on performance, as exports have always been a key driver. Even in the less volatile three-month period from June to August, order intake remained below the previous year’s level, down 8 percent. It is therefore crucial, on the one hand, to establish reliable and improved framework conditions to strengthen international competitiveness and, on the other hand, to provide targeted new investment incentives to sustainably stimulate domestic demand.