Update: German Manufacturing Order Backlog Rises 1.7% in May — Destatis

Backlog increases from the previous month

Orders on hand up 9.5% from a year earlier

Backlog equals 8.9 months of production

WIESBADEN, Germany — Germany’s real manufacturing order backlog rose 1.7% in May from the previous month, on a price-adjusted, seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, according to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

Compared with May 2025, the real order backlog increased 9.5% on a calendar-adjusted basis.

The volume of unfilled orders was equivalent to 8.9 months of production in May.

Order Books Continue to Grow

The latest figures show that German manufacturers entered May 2026 with a modest increase in outstanding orders.

The annual change indicates that order books remained stronger than a year earlier.

Why It Matters

The manufacturing order backlog measures work that companies have received but have not yet completed. It is therefore an indicator of potential industrial production in the coming months.

A growing backlog can support future output, while a declining backlog can signal weaker industrial demand or faster order processing.