Manufacturing output over 9 percent down in May

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.
© ANP / Peter Hilz
In May 2023, the average daily output of the Dutch manufacturing industry was 9.2 percent lower than in May 2022, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Output also contracted on an annual basis in the preceding months of this year.

Average daily output manufacturing (volume)
 maandchange (year-on-year % change)
2019June-2.5
2019July0
2019August-1.7
2019September1.2
2019Oktober0.5
2019November-1.6
2019December-1.2
2020January1.7
2020February-0.5
2020March-1.4
2020April-10.5
2020May-11.7
2020June-9.1
2020July-4.3
2020August-3.4
2020September-5.8
2020October-3.5
2020November-2.3
2020December0.5
2021January1.1
2021February-1.9
2021March3
2021April12.9
2021May16.1
2021June17.6
2021July13.1
2021August8.6
2021September11.1
2021October9.6
2021November10.6
2021December12.9
2022January7.4
2022February10.9
2022March7.9
2022April13.8
2022May10.2
2022June5.8
2022July5.8
2022August6.1
2022September5.6
2022October3.9
2022November0.6
2022December0.6
2023January-2.5
2023February-2.4
2023March-3.6
2023April-12.2
2023May-9.2

Decrease in most industries

Most industries produced less than in the same month of the previous year. Among the larger industries, the chemical industry recorded the sharpest decrease. The repair and installation of machinery sector recorded the largest increase.

Average daily output manufacturing (volume) by sector, May 2023
Categorychange (year-on-year % change)
Repair and installation of machinery12.2
Transport equipment5.2
Food products-3.3
Metal products-3.5
Electrical and electronics-7.4
Rubber and plastic products-10.8
Chemical-18.5
Manufacturing (total)-9.2
Altogether, the industries referred to in the above graph account for over 60 percent of the total manufacturing output

Output rose in May

A more accurate picture of short-term output developments is obtained when figures are adjusted for seasonal effects and the working-day pattern. After adjustments, manufacturing output rose by 1.2 percent between April and May.

Adjusted for seasonal and working-day effects, manufacturing output is seen to fluctuate significantly. In the spring of 2020, output declined rapidly and a low point was reached in May 2020. After that, output picked up again, until May 2022. The trend has reversed since then.

Seasonally adjusted average daily output manufacturing (volume)
yearmonthindex (2015=100)
2019June107.3
2019July107.5
2019August107.8
2019September109.5
2019October109.7
2019November108.4
2019December106.5
2020January109
2020February108.4
2020March106
2020April97.4
2020May96.5
2020June99.4
2020July103.4
2020August104
2020September104.2
2020October106.2
2020November106.3
2020December107.1
2021January110.9
2021February106.8
2021March110
2021April110.3
2021May112.1
2021June115
2021July116.2
2021August113.6
2021September115.2
2021October116.6
2021November117.6
2021December120
2022January119
2022February118.9
2022March118.6
2022April126
2022May123.6
2022June121.7
2022July122.8
2022August120.7
2022September121.2
2022October120.7
2022November118.5
2022December119.8
2023January116.2
2023February116.3
2023March114.5
2023April110.8
2023May112.2

Manufacturers less positive in June

In June, Dutch manufacturers were less positive for the third consecutive month. This was largely because manufacturers were less positive about future output and order positions.

Germany is an important market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In June, German entrepreneurs again showed lower confidence on balance, according to Eurostat. The average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry was up by 2.0 percent year on year in May, as reported by Destatis.

Sources

Related items