German woodworking machines manufacturers have increased production by 10.4% in 2017, to EUR 3.2 billion.
"We have set a record year and far exceeded the original forecast of 5%," said Wolfgang Pöschl, chairman of the Woodworking Machinery Association in the VDMA, at the general assembly of the VDMA trade association in Leipzig. Pöschl was also optimistic about the year 2018: "We expect further growth of around 8% in the current year." This would increase production in Germany to more than EUR 3.4 billion.
Drivers of the development, according to the trade association, are the global megatrends, such as digitization, sustainable building and urbanization. The modernization pressure is therefore important, especially in the industrialized countries.
Export: USA and China are the driving forces
Overall, woodworking machines exports rose by 12.8% in 2017, to EUR 2.4 billion. This corresponded to an export quota of 74%. The top places as the most important sales countries again came from the USA and China, both of which saw over 70% more machines than in 2016. The USA achieved a record demand of EUR 350 million. At the same time, deliveries to China increased to EUR 302 million.
France, Poland and Austria followed the USA and China, by far. With a growth of 10%, exports to Russia have turned back into a positive trend after two years of drought, and reached a value of EUR 95 million.
European export markets recorded small decrease in the Q1/2018
In the first quarter of 2018, exports experienced a slight start-up problem, with a drop of just under 3%. Exports decreased to EUR 482 million, as compared to the previous year. The business with France, Great Britain and Switzerland declined. On the other hand, the top markets, China and the USA, increased again by 31% and 49%, respectively.
Germany: an import indicator for international division of labor
Last year, Germany imported woodworking machinery worth EUR 511 million (plus 8%) - another record. Deliveries from Poland and the Czech Republic, in particular, grew at an above-average rate of 39% and 20%, respectively. Poland was the second most important supplier country after China. According to the Association of Woodworking Machinery, the success of the Eastern European neighbors is likely to be attributed to suppliers of German mechanical engineering companies, as well as production sites owned by German owners.
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