EuroBlech 2018

•••6••• Branchennews More domestic orders, less exports VDW: “German manufacturers of forming technology maintain record order level” I n the second quarter of 2018, or- der bookings at German manu- facturers of forming technology maintained the preceding year’s level. Domestic orders were up by 22 per cent, while exports fell by ten per cent. In the first half of the current year, order bookings rose by eleven per cent. Domestic orders were up by 24 per cent, ex- ports by five per cent. “Orders from Germany and abroad are at present widely di- vergent,” explains Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) in Frankfurt am Main. Following a lengthy pe- riod of hesitation, the domestic market is now finally seeing sig- nificant capital investment. The Euro nations continue to offer a solid foundation for progressing the sector’s business. “In addi- tion, investment is losing some of its dynamism, particularly in Asia, because demand in the huge Chi- nese market is perceptibly cool- ing down, a trend deliberately fostered by the politicians,” adds Dr. Schäfer. Orders for forming technology developed just as well as those for metal-cutting machinery in the year’s first half, and also exhibited the same pattern for orders from Germany and abroad. In terms of forming technology sales, the best-performing category in the year’s first half was press technol- ogy, which achieved a double-fig- ure increase. Sheet-metalworking in 2017 had proved to be an effec- tive support, and is accordingly starting from an already-high base figure. Forming technology traditionally contributes 30 per cent towards the total produc- tion output of the German ma- chine tool industry. Last year, that amounted to around three billion euros. Current developments cor- roborate the VDW’s production forecast, which is anticipating sectoral growth of another seven per cent for 2018. “If internation- al economic policy doesn’t put a spoke in our wheel with Brexit, increasing turbulences in Turkey, trade wars, reversal of globali- sation, threats of sanctions, our sector is in good shape,” says Dr. Schäfer of the VDW in conclusion. In the first half of the current year, order bookings rose by eleven per cent. Photo: VDW C.M.S. SPA • via A. Locatelli, 123 • 24019 Zogno (BG) • Tel. +39 0345 64111 • info@cms.it • cms.it Hannover 23-26 October Hall 15 Booth F05 WATERJET CUTTING SYSTEMS AND DEBURRING-FINISHING MACHINES FOR METAL PROCESSING N E W C M S S T A TE - O F - T H E- A R T 5 - AX I S C U T TI N G H E A D L E A D ING T E C H N O L O G Y I N D E B U R R I N G A N D F I N I S H I N G TECNOCUT IDROLINE S DMC METAL SYSTEM DMC M950 WET