- Surge in Manufacturing Orders Driven by Aircraft Demand in December 2023
- Record Orders in Transport Equipment Manufacturing Lead Industry Boost
- Mixed Performance Across Other Key Manufacturing Sectors
(Wiesbaden, Germany) — The real order intake in the manufacturing sector increased by 8.9% in December 2023 compared to the previous month, destatis said Tuesday.
However, overall in 2023, there were 5.9% fewer orders compared to 2022. The turnover, on the other hand, showed a slight increase. The order intake without major orders decreased by 2.2% in December 2023 compared to the previous month. In the year 2023, the order intake decreased by 5.9% compared to the previous year.
The “Other Vehicle Construction” sector, which includes the construction of airplanes, ships, and trains, experienced growth.
The manufacturing sector witnessed a remarkable upsurge in December 2023, primarily fueled by a significant influx of large-scale orders across various branches. This growth was predominantly driven by a notable spike in aircraft orders, as evidenced in the “manufacture of other transport equipment” category, encompassing aircraft, ships, and trains. This sector saw its new orders in December 2023 more than double compared to the previous month, registering an impressive increase of 110.9%.
Additionally, the manufacturing sectors of fabricated metal products (excluding machinery and equipment) and electrical equipment also contributed positively to the overall performance. The former experienced an 18.0% increase in large-scale orders, while the latter saw a 38.7% rise, underscoring the diverse growth within the manufacturing domain.
However, this overall uptrend was not uniformly reflected across all sectors. The automotive industry, a significant player in the manufacturing field, witnessed a decline in new orders, dropping by 14.7%. Similarly, the manufacture of machinery and equipment and the chemical industry, both critical sectors, also experienced downturns in new orders, decreasing by 5.3% and 3.7%, respectively.
The contrasting trends within these major sectors highlight the varied impacts of market forces and consumer demands on different segments of the manufacturing industry. While some areas are seeing robust growth, others face challenges, painting a complex picture of the sector’s current state. The exceptional rise in aircraft orders, in particular, stands out as a key driver of the sector’s overall growth in December 2023, signaling a potentially shifting focus or emerging trends within the manufacturing industry.