Manufacturing industry expects to invest 10 percent more in 2007

Manufacturing companies expect to invest 10 percent more this year than in 2006. This is consistent with the positive mood in this sector. Producer confidence in the manufacturing industry has been high for one and a half years now. Energy and water companies also expect a substantial increase in fixed capital formation, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands.

Investment mainly up in oil industry

Companies in the petroleum industry expect to invest 57 percent more this year than in 2006. The sectors metal and engineering, and food, drink and tobacco also foresee a strong increase. Both these sectors are expecting investment growth in the region of 18 percent. Manufacturers in the chemical industry on the other hand are less positive: they expect investment to be 4 percent down on 2006. 
Energy and water companies expect to invest 38 percent more this year than last year. Companies in mineral extraction foresee a 45 percent decrease. This large decrease is connected with the considerable increase in 2006, when mineral extraction companies invested 80 percent more than in 2005.

Further increase expected for 2008

In 2008, manufacturing companies expect  to invest 4 percent more than in 2007. Most sectors are positive, only companies producing food, drinks and tobacco expect to invest less in 2008.
Mineral extraction and energy and water companies are very positive about next year. They expect to up investment by 24 and 45 percent respectively.