Manufacturing output more than 8 percent down in July

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© CBS / Alrik Swagerman
In July 2023, the average daily output of the Dutch manufacturing industry was 8.3 percent lower than in July 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)
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-11.9
2023May-9.2
2023June-7.2
2023July-8.3

Decrease in most industries

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

Average daily output manufacturing (volume) by sector, July 2023
Categorychange (year-on-year % change)
Repair and installation of machinery20.3
Transport equipment0.4
Metal products-0.3
Food products-0.7
Electrical and electronics-4.2
Rubber and plastic products-6.2
Chemical-12.8
Machinery-21.6
Manufacturing (total)-8.3
Altogether, the industries referred to in the above graph account for 75 percent of the total manufacturing output

Output decreased in July

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 fell by 0.6 percent between June and July.

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)
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
2023March114.4
2023April111.1
2023May112.2
2023June113.2
2023July112.5

Manufacturers negative in August

In August, Dutch manufacturers were negative for the first time after 2020. This was mainly due to manufacturers being more negative about expected output over the next three months.

Germany is an important market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In August, German entrepreneurs again showed lower confidence on balance, according to Eurostat. The average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry was down by 1.3 percent year on year in July. Relative to June, output fell by 1.8 percent, as reported by Destatis.

Sources

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