The AMA Association for Sensor and Measuring Technology surveys its 450 members on a quarterly basis on economic development. The industry reports a sales decline of one percent for the first quarter compared to the previous quarter. Incoming orders rose by four percent at the beginning of the year. The industry expects a four percent drop in turnover for the second quarter. 25 percent of the firms have already registered short-time work in the first quarter.

Turnover and incoming orders in German industry still recovered in part at the beginning of the year. However, due to the corona pandemic, which triggered a massive slump in demand and supply worldwide, the economic trend has now reversed. The effects of the pandemic are affecting production, supply chains, sales markets and the German labor market. According to the AMA Association, it is currently difficult to predict how severe the slump will be for sensor and measuring technology manufacturers. In the current quarter, the industry is expecting a decline in sales of four percent.

Automotive suppliers particularly affected by losses

"Since the national and international sales markets have suffered a massive slump due to the corona pandemic, this will have a delayed effect on the manufacturers of sensors and measuring technology," says Thomas Simmons, Managing Director of the AMA Association for Sensor and Measuring Technology. "The economic development in the first quarter shows that suppliers to the automotive industry were particularly affected and had to cope with significant sales losses. They and the suppliers to the mechanical and plant engineering industry are therefore also pessimistic about the current quarter. The AMA members, who supply building automation and medical technology, are quite different. They are posting slight increases in the first quarter and are clearly looking forward to the current quarter with confidence".