Top News
In November 2020, companies from Germany recorded growth in orders from within Germany as well as from abroad for the first time since the beginning of the reporting year.
The chaotic scenes from the US Capitol are harrowing. Nevertheless, the outcome of the Senate elections in the state of Georgia is an important success for Joe Biden. The new administration can now more easily implement its ambitious election promises - a more predictable trade policy can be expected.
The EU's investment agreement with China is expected to bring improvements in market access as well as a leveling of the playing field for European companies. It will be particularly important that the Chinese commitments can be enforced, if necessary.
The Corona pandemic is also causing a drop in the number of first-year students in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. Technical degree programs with a traditionally high proportion of foreign students have been hit particularly hard by the decline. However, the medium to long-term career prospects for engineers remain good.
Longer plant closures than usual at the turn of the year are to contribute to the prevention of Corona contagion risks. The companies' ability to function and emergency services will remain intact
The mechanical and plant engineering industry supports the latest pandemic decisions to fight the pandemic. The companies continue to accept their responsibility to help combat the infection. A general closure of industrial production would have been the wrong way to go.
News
11.01.2021
Even in times of Corona, machine manufacturers have to fulfill their social responsibility and to maintain production. A legal home office requirement with fines would therefore be absurd.
05.01.2021
Unemployment must not be allowed to become entrenched again. Policymakers must therefore lower the hurdles that make new employment more difficult. This includes refraining from further legal intervention in temporary work and contracts for work and services.
24.12.2020
After years of negotiations on a trade agreement on the UK's exit from the EU, the parties reached an agreement at the last minute. From the perspective of the mechanical engineering industry, this is an important signal for all companies on both sides of the channel.
18.12.2020
The government coalition's self-praise for the amendment of the Renewable Energy Act is only partially justified. Without a comprehensive reform of taxes, levies and charges, a sustainable restructuring of the energy system will not work.
17.12.2020
"Made in China 2025" leads to intensified competitive pressure in mechanical and plant engineering. A new study examines various scenarios up to the year 2030. Companies in Europe can continue to benefit from the upswing in the People's Republic, but there is a growing danger of falling exports to the Far East.
14.12.2020
After the global turnover slump of an estimated 6 percent this year, a turnover growth of 7 percent is predicted for 2021.
14.12.2020
Despite the pandemic, the vast majority of companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector are sticking to their plans for training and dual studies. For university graduates, the situation has eased slightly compared to May despite the ongoing difficult situation.
11.12.2020
From January to October 2020 only 3 percent year-on-year decline in incoming orders - October 2020 brings strong increase in incoming orders - Companies have adapted well to the challenges
10.12.2020
The increase of the greenhouse gas reduction planned by the EU is coherent. However, industry needs room for manoeuvre; only an open-technology approach can ensure the rapid deployment of the necessary innovations by 2030.
10.12.2020
Revenue falls to 2018 level.
09.12.2020
Companies need an exit strategy from the political arena in order to get out of the Corona crisis in the long term. A lockdown for the manufacturing industry would exacerbate the crisis situation.
07.12.2020
The transformation to sustainable industrial production offers new market opportunities - The members of the VDMA Large Industrial Plant Manufacturers' Group expect global project volumes to increase in 2021.
07.12.2020
Loss of sales causes mixed feelings
02.12.2020
In the third quarter, incoming orders for solar equipment manufacturers reach level of the beginning of the year. Sales are expected to stabilize in the fourth quarter. China, the most important export market, is growing again.
02.12.2020
The picture has changed for the machinery and plant manufacturers in China, with business estimates positive again for the first time since autumn 2018. However, travel restrictions remain a major obstacle.
01.12.2020
Industry needs innovation-friendly conditions for the use of artificial intelligence. There must not be an overregulation of AI in production.
30.11.2020
Domestic business remains stable in 2020 I Megatrend health provides business opportunities I Moderate outlook for 2021
26.11.2020
On 25 November 2020, the EU-Commission published a proposal for a Regulation on European data governance. Among other things, it provides for a notification obligation and requirements for "data exchange providers".
24.11.2020
Domestic demand stable despite Corona I Manufacturers focus on digitization I Decline in sales expected for 2021
23.11.2020
One year after the conditions for awarding contracts for local industrial and agricultural mobile radio networks came into force, almost 90 applications have already been received by the Federal Network Agency.
20.11.2020
Thilo Brodtmann, Managing Director of the VDMA, takes a fundamentally positive view of the Employment Protection Act passed by the German Bundestag.
20.11.2020
Even after the virtual Council meeting, Poland and Hungary are sticking to their veto on the EU budget and Corona recovery fund. VDMA demands that the dispute be settled. Europe now needs a future perspective instead of trouble.
18.11.2020
On the occasion of the GAIA-X Summit today and tomorrow, international companies, NGOs as well as representatives from politics and associations will come together in hybrid format to publicly present the new organizational structure of the GAIA-X Foundation. As Europe's leading mechanical engineering network, the VDMA has been a member from the very beginning.
11.11.2020
The transatlantic dispute over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing is also a burden to companies in the mechanical engineering sector. A negotiated solution still must be found. Therefore, the VDMA calls for a constructive dialogue between the EU and the USA.
08.11.2020
The election victory of Joe Biden is good news for transatlantic relations. The mechanical and plant engineering industry expects a more predictable policy from the new US president, which will also involve the transatlantic partners in Europe more closely again.
Rückblick 2020 - Ausblick 2021
Die Maschinen- und Anlagenbauer haben während der Pandemie die Produktion immer am Laufen gehalten. VDMA-Hauptgeschäftsführer Thilo Brodtmann ist zuversichtlich, dass 2021 für die Unternehmen besser laufen wird als Corona-Jahr.
Karl Haeusgen: Annual press conference 2020
The mechanical engineering industry has kept ist head up during these difficult times of the pandemic. The VDMA has raised its production forecast for 2021 from plus 2 to plus 4 percent. And the picture could brighten even further if tensions in world trade would ease. VDMA President Karl Haeusgen looks at the upcoming year with cautious optimism.
Must Reads
11.01.2021
In December 2020, sentiment continued to brighten in many sectors of the European manufacturing industry, including mechanical engineering.
24.11.2020
VDMA General Manager Thilo Brodtmann spoke out against a women's quota in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung".
The currently spreading "coronavirus" is leading to considerable uncertainty in the personal and professional sphere.
28.09.2020
The 8th VDMA Corona Flash Survey was conducted on September 23/24. 522 member companies took part. As usual, you will find the detailed results for mechanical engineering and 13 trade associations in the appendix.
01.09.2020
Climate-neutral production is a challenge along the entire value chain and employs many companies. For this reason, the VDMA has now published a practical guide for mechanical and plant engineering.
How must cooperation and innovation processes change in the age of digitisation? Which extensions of value-added networks come into question? And how can suitable partners be identified? Answers to these and other questions are provided in a new study by the IMPULS Foundation.
23.06.2020
At HANNOVER MESSE - Digital Days on 15 July, the guide and descriptions of nine use cases on 5G in mechanical and plant engineering will be published. The occasion is the VDMA panel discussion "5G in mechanical engineering: from technology push to market pull". The guide and the use cases have been available exclusively to VDMA members since April 2020.
Corona continues to have a firm grip on us, the effects on personnel recruitment and the need for young people are uncertain. Your help is therefore required - please let us know our assessments by 8 May 2020.
The VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association has launched a new knowledge portal on sustainable packaging and packaging technologies.
Please take the opportunity to give us feedback on the technical implementation and the economic effort you have made.
The DAkkS has currently stopped the on-site assessments. These will be replaced by remote assessments.
At present, an organisation Transparenzregister e.V. sends out e-mails in different versions requesting companies to register in the transparency register within 10 days using the link provided in the e-mail.
Figuring at the top of the agenda and the three words on everyone’s lips in Brussels, the Green New Deal positions the new European Commission as a global leader on climate action. VDMA European Office takes a look at the planned measures and their potential impact on the mechanical engineering sector.
On 14 November 2019, the German Bundestag passed the draft bill for the implementation of the 5th EU Money Laundering Directive.
02.12.2019
On behalf of 17 associations, the VDMA has sent an open letter to Vice-President Frans Timmermans on the importance of hydrogen and P2X in the fight against climate change on the occasion of the first working day of the new Commission.
29.11.2019
The Whistleblower Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 26 November 2019.
27.11.2019
The VDMA has long been fighting for the manufacturer's self-declaration in the marketing of European machine and plant engineering products. In the future, this point of view should be represented even more intensively in countries outside the European Economic Union.
14.11.2019
Update: The tax research subsidy is on the home straight. It is scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2020. Find out what the new funding instrument can do for your company.
12.11.2019
Climate change is at the top of the agenda: this applies to politics, legislation and business.
20.09.2019
With the declaration of the Circular Plastic Alliance, the EU is taking an important step towards more recycling in Europe.
Mechanical engineering industry regains strength
Video series "Young Professionals for Mechanical Engineering
Tax research promotion: How does the new instrument work?
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.
