Manufacturing industry continues to decline, but there are small bright spots

This article was last updated on June 10, 2024

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Manufacturing industry continues to decline, but there are small bright spots

In April, Dutch industry production shrank again. The 3.5 percent contraction marks the tenth decline in a row. Production fell in almost all industries in April, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reports.

The largest shrinkage, almost 40 percent, occurred in April in the repair and installation of machines. However, this is a somewhat distorted figure, emphasizes CBS economist Frank Notten. “This industry is the repair and installation of aircraft, ships, trains, etc. Because one company had to do a lot of maintenance last year, the decrease is now very large.”

Of the eight largest industries, only the production of electrical and electronic equipment, chemicals and metals saw an increase of approximately 5 percent.

Month on month, there was growth in industrial production again in April, although only slightly by 0.4 percent. CBS states that producers became more positive again in May. In Germany, an important sales market for Dutch industry, the segment remains negative with a decline of 3.5 percent.