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It is becoming increasingly difficult for the European mechanical engineering industry to maintain its position on the Russian market. The weak ruble exchange rate, the volatile oil price, protectionism and not least the sanctions are causing exporters great headaches. VDMA President Carl Martin Welcker therefore advocates to reconsider the sanctions.
"Better late than never", commented Hartmut Rauen, Executive Director of the VDMA, on today's Cabinet decision to introduce fiscal incentives for research.
In the first quarter of 2019, Germany exported 43.8 billion euros in machinery. This is 2.1 percent more than in the same period last year (42.9 billion euros).
The EU and the US must use the next 180 days to find a WTO-compliant solution to the customs dispute. The postponement of the American punitive tariffs is only a reprieve.
Research and development expenditure reaches new record level - Steady increase in R&D employees - Research funding must also address larger medium-sized companies
The increase of American punitive tariffs against China is damaging both countries. Mechanical engineering industry in Europe is also being hit because uncertainty is on the rise.
News
23.05.2019
The technology roadmap must be filled with life quickly: The aim is the defossilisation of shipping.
Federal Ministry of Economics supports the development of new technologies.
22.05.2019
Medium-sized industrial companies are increasingly seeking access to start-ups in order to jointly accelerate digital change and develop future technologies - from robot programming for everyone to navigation solutions for entire fleets of driverless transport systems.
21.05.2019
In cooperation with Noerr LLP, the legal department of the VDMA developed a comprehensive guide on data sovereignty in the field of mechanical engineering industry, which provides member companies with valuable information on contractual possibilities of data allocations.
21.05.2019
In the course of ongoing digitalization, the construction of large-scale plants is facing significant market changes, for which companies have to prepare intensively. This is the core result of a new, broad-based benchmark study by the VDMA Large Industrial Plant Manufacturers’ Group (AGAB) and PwC Capital Projects & Infrastructure.
20.05.2019
Minister President Winfried Kretschmann awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg on 18 May, including the VDMA Past President Dr. Ing. h. c. Manfred Wittenstein. Kretschmann honoured Wittenstein as the "leading engineer and entrepreneur personality of our time".
20.05.2019
VDMA and Fraunhofer have created a new platform for innovations with the Hacking Engineering Hackathon - Startups successfully develop solutions for challenges given to them by industrial companies - 11 international teams take part in the pilot competition in Berlin
17.05.2019
Environmental policy and economic prosperity are not opposites. However, product regulation must not overburden companies.
15.05.2019
Revenues grow by 8 percent in 2018. Incoming orders up again after weak phase at year end
13.05.2019
Industry has great expectations in Texprocess
10.05.2019
Regulation at European level also benefits the export-driven mechanical engineering sector. However, the EU must prevent unnecessary burdens on businesses.
08.05.2019
Professor Claus Oetter, Managing Director of VDMA Software and Digitisation, calls for a stronger possibility of differentiation for industry at the meeting of the Data Ethics Commission and the question of an ethical design of society.
08.05.2019
VDMA President Carl Martin Welcker welcomes the fact that parliamentary deliberations on the immigration law of skilled empolyees have finally begun.
04.05.2019
In 2018, machine production by manufacturers of meat processing machinery grew by almost 5 percent to 1.16 billion euros.
26.04.2019
Federal Minister Peter Altmaier represents Germany at the Silk Road Conference in Beijing.
25.04.2019
The majority of East German machine and plant manufacturers are currently looking to good business. However, the outlook is slowly becoming gloomier.
23.04.2019
Many countries have or are developing product requirements for machine safety and environmental protection. Machine manufacturers are therefore often forced to build machines differently. To make matters worse, there are mandatory third party tests. Instead, the VDMA advocates effective market surveillance.
16.04.2019
In 2018, mechanical engineering in Baden-Württemberg increased its sales by 3.3 percent compared to the previous year to a record 85.4 billion euros. Measured by the total turnover of the German mechanical engineering industry, almost every third machine comes from Baden-Württemberg.
10.04.2019
The German mechanical and plant engineering industry can draw a proud balance for its companies on the occasion of the vocational training report adopted by the Federal Government on Wednesday: The number of trainees in the German mechanical and plant engineering sector rose again in 2018.
08.04.2019
The mechanical engineering industry sees the guidelines of the EU expert group on the use of AI as an important contribution in the public debate, but warns against drawing red lines too early.
08.04.2019
On 11 and 12 April, the EU Member States and the EU Commission will once again deal with the approval of chromium VI in the REACH Regulatory Committee under the regime of the European Chemicals Regulation REACH.
04.04.2019
Even medium-sized companies can successfully commercialize new business models - VDMA guide shows strategies for commercializing digital services in mechanical engineering - Manufacturers must act more frequently like software houses
03.04.2019
High capacity utilization of surface technology companies. automotive industry, automotive suppliers and metalworking industry as important target industries.
03.04.2019
VDMA supports the new concept of Deutsche Messe AG as conceptual sponsor of Hannover Messe - Focus on industry transformation - More attractiveness and networking for exhibitors and visitors
27.03.2019
New sales record and the highest number of employees since the mid-1990s. Thüringer Maschinen- und Anlagenbau transferred the momentum of the previous year to 2018.
26.03.2019
At 18.3 billion euros, incoming orders booked in Germany by members of the VDMA Large Industrial Plant Manufacturers´ Group (AGAB) in 2018 were 3 percent up on the previous year (2017: 17.8 billion euros).
Dr. Ralph Wiechers: Auftragseingang März 2019
Der Auftakt ins laufende Jahr war für die Maschinenbauer in Deutschland wenig erfreulich. Im ersten Quartal 2019 wurde in den Auftragsbüchern ein Minus von real 10 Prozent im Vergleich zum gleichen Zeitraum des Vorjahres verbucht. Auch der März brachte einen Orderrückgang von 10 Prozent.
Must Reads
15.05.2019
The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on 14.05.2019 that Member States must oblige employers to set up a system to measure daily working time (ECJ, judgment of 14.05.2019 - C-55/18).
German joint stand as part of the BMWi foreign trade fair programme - registration deadline 10 May 2019!
01.04.2019
Wide range of information and mediation services with demonstrators at Hannover Messe 2019
22.03.2019
The Trade Secrets Act provides for far-reaching protection of valuable corporate information. The prerequisite, however, is that companies take measures and document them.
08.03.2019
Do Europe and Germany need more state industrial policy to survive between the USA and China? VDMA Vice President Karl Haeusgen sets clear accents in the ZDF programme "Maybritt Illner".
01.03.2019
Companies should prepare in time for the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The VDMA has compiled checklists for its members.
20.02.2019
An employee's entitlement to paid annual leave usually expires at the end of the calendar year only if the employer has previously informed him of his specific holiday entitlement and the expiry periods and the employee has not taken the holiday of his own free will. This was decided by the Federal Labour Court in its judgment of 19.02.2019 (Case No. 9 AZR 541/15).
As part of the initiative "Maschinenhaus - Plattform für innovative Lehre", we offer as a prize the 4th VDMA University Prize. With this award we would like to honour outstanding teaching concepts which stand for more academic success and thus set an example for the importance of teaching.
31.01.2019
The European Commission regards environmental and social standards as an essential part of its economic policy. This offers opportunities for mechanical engineering companies - but also the danger of additional requirements.
05.12.2018
Approximately 7,100 companies are currently being contacted by the Federal Government and informed about the National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights (NAP), with which they are to exercise human rights due diligence along their supply chain.
04.12.2018
The German delegation visiting SWS (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard)
29.11.2018
Despite (still) rising student numbers in computer science, the high drop-out rates are a cause for concern. In order to meet the demand for IT specialists in industry 4.0, the quality of teaching must be further improved. The VDMA nacelle initiative is committed to this and will include the field of computer science in the next project phase.
10.10.2018
The regulations of the Basic Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) to be observed since 25.05.2018 have caused the members of the VDMA some effort in the implementation of the requirements.
10.10.2018
In view of the challenges posed by digitisation, the VDMA calls for the urgently overdue reform of the Working Hours Act.
27.09.2018
The USA is the most important export market and investment location for the German mechanical and plant engineering industry. At the same time, German companies with capital goods enable the development and modernization of American industry. In politically tense times of transatlantic relations, the EU and the US should strive for a lean free trade agreement and, at the same time, a reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO). With 164 members, the WTO is the best platform for creating competition and free trade.
The aim of the strategic partnership between Labs Network 4.0 and InsurTech Hub Munich is to develop innovations, technologies and business models at the interface between industry 4.0 and the insurance industry.
15.08.2018
Future Business prepares the next complex trend topic with possible far-reaching effects for the entire mechanical and plant engineering sector. It does not only concern the currently much-discussed future of the plastics industry and waste and recycling technology, but all branches of industry with a connection to materials. Find out how you can contribute!
02.07.2018
Foreign direct investments in Germany as well as German direct investments abroad ensure the success of the German mechanical and plant engineering industry. Unlike in the EU, some economic areas restrict foreign investment for economic and political reasons. This is problematic if investors from these countries who are both state-controlled and financially strong become active in our company at the same time. The commandment is called "reciprocity", equal conditions for common benefit. The political objective must be to achieve the same investment conditions everywhere as in Europe.
04.06.2018
The export-oriented German mechanical engineering industry has benefited more than almost any other sector from economic and political integration and having the euro as the single currency. However, the result of the British referendum in favor of Brexit has shaken the EU to its core. Even two years on it is still not completely clear how the EU and the United Kingdom will work together in the future, but the UK must not be granted a special status. The mechanical engineering sector believes that the cohesion of the EU takes priority and demands equal competitive conditions in the EU27 and the UK.
29.05.2018
Frankfurt am Main, 28 May 2018. – Making a visit to the fair simpler, faster and better: this is the goal pursued by the Club of Metalworking, which the VDW launched a few days ago. Membership is free of charge, and offers attractive services for international metalworking experts.
"Companies act more carefully."
Mechanical engineering damps expectations
Now online: VDMAimpulse, Issue 02-2019 (March 2019)
Humans – Machines – Progress – The film
Machines improve our lives – on a large and small scale. Whether for our health, food or the many means of transportation that we use; whether we are looking at the ground deep below the sea or from high above – we need machines and people who utilize their skills to make the world a better place to live. That is the aim of mechanical and plant engineering. Humans – Machines – Progress.
