In February 2025, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 16% higher in real terms than in February 2024.
Domestic demand increased by 60% compared to the previous year’s result. Foreign demand fell by 3%. The eurozone contributed to this result with a plus of 16% and the non-eurozone with a minus of 11%.
In the significant three-month period from December 2024 to February 2025, orders increased by 9% overall compared to the same period in the previous year. Domestic orders rose by 24% compared to the period from December 2023 to February 2024. Orders from abroad increased by 2%. While orders from the eurozone rose by 16%, orders from non-eurozone countries fell by 4%.
Unusually high large orders are helping domestic business in North Rhine-Westphalia to achieve strong growth, but should not distract from the continuing lackluster investment mood of German mechanical engineering customers. Nevertheless, a start has been made and now it is up to politicians to set a positive course with sustainable structural reforms. All the more so because dark clouds are gathering abroad. German products are in demand worldwide, but are encountering ever greater hurdles at the border. In recent years, we have simply failed to secure access to export markets and leverage additional growth potential through appropriate free trade agreements.