The export-strong machine and plant manufacturers from Germany have been able to assert themselves well in a difficult global environment. According to preliminary results from the Federal Statistical Office, machine exports for 2022 recorded a nominal increase of 6.1 percent compared to the previous year. The export value of the industry thus reached a record value of 192.4 billion euros, an increase of 11.1 billion euros. In price-adjusted terms, companies posted a decline of 1.3 percent in real terms last year. "Although the annual balance sheet has nice price effects, the result is also impressive in real terms. The sharp decline feared by many did not materialize in 2022," says VDMA chief economist Dr. Ralph Wiechers.

On an annual basis, the fourth quarter in particular showed a strong nominal increase of 9.3 percent. "In addition to numerous indicators such as lower freight rates, the most recent export data show that disruptions in global supply chains have continued to resolve," analyzes Wiechers 2023."

The USA continues to be the most important export market for machine deliveries from Germany. Last year, the lead over China was even further expanded. Exports to the United States increased by a nominal 20 percent to 24.8 billion euros. Exports to China, on the other hand, fell by a nominal 2.3 percent to 18.9 billion euros. This means that 12.9 percent of all machine deliveries from Germany went to the USA; China's share of 9.8 percent is now below 10 percent for the first time since 2016. 

Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and UK with strong growth in Europe

Machine exports from Germany to the EU-27 increased by a nominal 5.0 percent to 84.4 billion euros last year. The EU partner countries thus account for a total of 43.9 percent of German exports. Machine exports to the three most important customer countries in the EU-27 - France (up 5.2 percent to 12.9 billion euros), Italy (up 9.0 percent to 9.6 billion euros) and the Netherlands (up 6.1 percent to 8.5 billion euros) - were above the EU average. In the European countries outside the European Union, German exporters booked particularly in Turkey (up 20.8 percent to 4.8 billion euros), in the United Kingdom (up 9.7 percent to 8.3 billion euros) and in Switzerland (plus 11.8 percent to 6.1 billion euros) strong growth.

Exports to Russia almost halved, India gaining importance

Machine exports to Russia fell sharply last year by 49.4 percent to 2.8 billion euros. For December 2022 alone, there is a minus of more than 65 percent in the books. The share of German machine exports to Russia in the total German machine exports is only 1.4 percent, which corresponds to 19th place in the export ranking. Before the Ukraine war, Russia was still among the top 10 buyer countries. India, on the other hand, recorded a significant increase in its share. With a nominal increase in exports of 28.2 percent to 3.9 billion euros, India now ranks 14th among the buyer countries for machinery and equipment from Germany.