Markets & Economy - vdma.org

The Economics and Statistics department provides you with all industry-relevant economic and market information. Benefit from our expertise and use our statistics as a basis for smart business decisions.

VDMA Foreign Trade supports you and your export business. We prepare topics relevant to mechanical engineering for you: up-to-date and easy to understand.

China has developed rapidly and, as a result, undergone considerable change. This has an impact on the economic and political environment to which the machinery and plant engineering industry cannot close its eyes.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides comprehensive employment and wage statistics. In our interactive report, we clearly present data by industry, occupational group and location.

New tariffs for European goods in trade with the USA.

On the initiative of the VDMA Forum Process Technology, several water trade fairs have once again made it into the German government's foreign trade fair program in 2025. The destinations are not just in the east and the west.

German machinery exports recorded a nominal decline of 7.7% in February 2025 compared to the same month last year (-9.4% in real terms).

Intercompany license agreements between the parent company in Germany/Europe and the subsidiary in China are of considerable importance in practice.

The trade fair year 2025 calls solution providers from the oil, gas and petrochemical industries to Baku, Tashkent, Milan and Abu Dhabi, among others. The program will be completed by privatly organised stands in Cairo and Beijing.

One third of national patent applications in Germany can be attributed to the technology field of mechanical and plant engineering. In hardly any other country is this proportion as high as in Germany.

VDMA has met with the EU Member States, the EU-Commission and the EU-Parliament to campaign for the eDeclaration. If adopted, this would be an important first step towards reducing bureaucracy.

We provide a download from Euler Hermes on the new possibilities of Hermes Cover. The file contains important details on company-related support.

The Hermes Annual Report for Export Credit Guarantees 2024 has been published. The figures show how relevant the protection of export receivables against crises is.

The EU is right to keep a cool head in response to US President Donald Trump's punitive tariffs. An open trade war would serve no one. However, the EU should use the momentum for new free trade agreements.

Sentiment in the mechanical engineering sector improved somewhat at the start of 2025, but remains very mixed. A majority of companies do not expect slight growth again until 2026.

The USA is much more than just a major sales market for industry in Europe. The change in trade policy under Donald Trump is hitting companies all the harder. Europe must now show unity and strength - in every respect.

EU machinery and equipment manufacturing companies currently rate their competitive position as worse than the long-term average. This is particularly true to companies based in Germany.

The blanket punitive tariffs announced by Donald Trump will harm producers and consumers in both regions - and will exacerbate rather than resolve trade conflicts.

India's Interim Union Budget for 2024 projects a reduction in the revised fiscal deficit and a decline in inflation. These key economic indicators signal a promising future for the Indian economy, even amidst global economic uncertainties.

The number of international students in Germany is growing steadily. This is good news for mechanical engineering.

In February, order books in the mechanical engineering sector filled up unexpectedly strongly by 8% in real terms. Part of this growth was due to large-scale plant business and part to component business.

In January 2025, the EU machinery and equipment manufacturing sector recorded the smallest decline in production since September 2023.

The tougher the international competition, the greater the demand for payment terms from the manufacturer. Currently, the disruptive measures taken by many national governments are increasing the need for export cover.

Global machinery turnover fell by 1 percent in real terms in 2024. At this point in time, a small growth of 1 percent still seems possible in 2025.

The US government's tariff policy could result in a 4% drop in production by Japanese car manufacturers.

How are exports to Africa and the Middle East developing? Which are the largest local markets, which product groups are most in demand and what are the most important supplier countries? In our theme publication you will find facts, figures and data on foreign trade with Africa and the Middle East from the perspective of the mechanical and plant engineering sector.

The mechanical engineering industry in Brazil will benefit from the simplification of certificates of origin through self-certification in Mercosur.

China’s Two Sessions 2025 spotlight a bold industrial shift—AI, 6G, digitalization, and smart manufacturing are set to reshape the machinery sector in the coming years.

Tariffs of 25 percent on the import of cars and car parts have been announced. They are due to come into force starting May 3.

Mitsubishi Corporation plans to build data center on the site of the former JFE blast furnace with an investment volume of JPY 150 billion (EUR 937 million).

Singapore’s Budget 2025 presents significant opportunities for businesses to reduce costs, invest in workforce development, and adopt digital innovations.

Malaysia and Singapore launched the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) in January 2025. The new economic initiative aims to drive significant business growth with as many as 50 projects and create 20,000 skilled jobs.

In February, the ASEAN manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 51.5, the highest in seven months, from 50.4 in January. This marks the highest reading since July 2023.

As in the previous year, demand for capital goods was weak in 2024. Machinery and equipment worth an estimated 3.26 trillion euros was sold worldwide, 1.5% less than in 2023.

The VDMA is intensifying its activities in sub-Saharan Africa and is looking forward to new support in the team of the foreign trade department

New orders for machinery in Japan fell by 3.5% in January compared to the previous month, while the order backlog reached a record high due to a shortage of labor and transportation capacity.

On March 12, the USA imposed tariffs of 25 percent on all steel and aluminum products, including some steel and aluminum derivatives. This affects the mechanical and plant engineering sector, especially the spare parts business.

Despite a slight decline in machinery exports to Kazakhstan in 2024, the German mechanical engineering industry remains confident

In 2024, machinery exports from Europe to the Southeast Asian region will still not be able to match the levels of the years before coronavirus and will even record further losses.

Benefit from the comprehensive expertise of the VDMA at the Hannover Messe! Take the opportunity for personal expert discussions with VDMA employees from various fields.

Europe's defense industry needs efficient value chains for components and production technologies. The European mechanical and plant engineering industry will play a key role here.

Registration procedures, procedure for work up to 90 days and wage calculation: VDMA info sheet provides practical tips for optimal planning of work assignments in Switzerland.

In 2024, price-adjusted production output in the EU mechanical and plant engineering sector contracted by 7 percent compared to the previous year.

Since March 17, 2025, the notification procedure for employees posted to Switzerland has been handled exclusively via the EasyGov portal. The previous application for reporting short stays was deactivated on March 14, 2025.

After a dry spell of three years, the signs are pointing to growth for the industry.

Which trade associations, departments, forums and working groups are taking part this year? You can find this and more information on the planned events and key topics in the network flyer.

The United States is the largest export market and the most important location for the German mechanical engineering industry. The chart pack provides information on the structure and development of the machinery market.

The EU's 16th sanctions package against Russia and Belarus has been somewhat lost in the excitement surrounding US President Trump. But there are new risks and details that VDMA members have to deal with.

The quarterly report "Machinery & Equipment in China" contains relevant key figures such as production, sales, profit and investment trends in the local mechanical engineering industry as well as important customer industries in China.

The EU is aiming to conclude a free trade agreement with India this year. It would be an important step towards improving the competitive position of industry, also with regard to China.