East German mechanical engineering records slump in orders

Downward trend began in spring

"The industry had started the year well, but things went downhill from the spring onwards," explained Oliver Köhn, Managing Director of the Association East. There was a consistent lack of impetus, especially from the domestic market. "The uncertain economic conditions and structural changes played a decisive role here," emphasized Köhn. Orders from abroad, on the other hand, fluctuated greatly from month to month and had a significant impact on the statistics. In the end, however, foreign business also recorded a drastic drop. "This is a sign of the weak dynamics of the markets, but also of the strong international competitive pressure," said Köhn.