The seasonally and calendar-adjusted order inflow in the manufacturing industry increased by 6.9% in December 2024 compared to November 2024. Without large orders, the order inflow rose by 2.2% compared to the previous month, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) after preliminary data. In the less volatile three-month comparison, the order inflow in the fourth quarter of 2024 remained unchanged (0.0%) compared to the previous quarter, without large orders, it increased by 1.4%.
In November 2024, the order inflow had decreased by 5.2% after the revision of the preliminary results, compared to October 2024 (preliminary value: -5.4%). In the entire year of 2024, the order inflows in the manufacturing industry were 3.0% lower, calendar-adjusted, than in the previous year.
The positive development of the order inflows in the manufacturing industry in December 2024 is largely due to the significant increase in the Other Aircraft, Ship and Train Manufacturing industry, which saw orders increase by 55.5% due to several large orders. The positive impact of the increases in the machinery industry (+8.6%) also contributed to the overall result, while the decline in the automotive industry (-3.2%) had a negative effect.
In the area of intermediate goods, the order inflow in December 2024 showed a 0.2% increase compared to the previous month. In the area of investment goods, the order inflow rose by 10.9% and in the area of consumer goods, it increased by 7.7%.
Domestic orders rose by 14.6% in the month-on-month comparison, mainly due to the large orders in the Other Aircraft, Ship and Train Manufacturing industry. Foreign orders increased by 1.4%, with orders from the Eurozone rising by 6.2% and those from outside the Eurozone decreasing by 1.5%.
In the entire year of 2024, the order inflows in the manufacturing industry were 3.0% lower, calendar-adjusted, than in the previous year. In the first half of the year, the downward trend that had been observed since 2021 continued, while a trend towards stabilization was observed in the second half of the year.
In the area of investment goods, the order inflows in 2024 were 2.5% lower than in the previous year. In the machinery industry, a decline of 6.6% was observed, while in the automotive industry, the orders remained almost unchanged with a 0.1% increase. In the Other Aircraft, Ship and Train Manufacturing industry, orders increased by 3.4% compared to the previous year.
In the area of intermediate goods, the order inflows in 2024 were 4.0% lower than in the previous year, mainly due to developments in the production of electrical equipment (-11.4%) and metal products (-10.7%). In the chemical industry, orders rose by 1.8% and in the paper industry, they increased by 2.2%.
The real output in the manufacturing industry was, after preliminary data, 0.1% lower, seasonally and calendar-adjusted, in December 2024 compared to the previous month. Compared to December 2023, the output was 3.9% lower, calendar-adjusted. For November 2024, the preliminary result of a 1.4% increase over October 2024 was confirmed after the revision of the preliminary results.
In the entire year of 2024, the real output in the manufacturing industry was 4.0% lower, calendar-adjusted, than in the previous year. Even here, the output in the first half of the year was largely declining, while a trend towards stabilization was observed in the second half of the year, according to the Federal Statistical Office.