Manufacturers positive about investment in 2011
- Nearly all sectors of manufacturing expect increased investment in 2011
- Chemical industry very positive
According to figures published today by Statistics Netherlands, Dutch manufacturing companies expect to invest 25 percent more this year than in 2010. This optimism is around the same level as six months ago, when they expected an increase of 24 percent.
Nearly all sectors of manufacturing expect to invest more in 2011. Companies in the chemical sector in particular are very positive. They expect to increase investment by 73 percent. Investment spending in the chemical industry is the second highest in manufacturing. In 2010 this sector invested nearly 1 billion euro.
Investment is only higher in the food, drink and tobacco industry: over 1.4 billion euro in 2010. Companies in this sector expect investment to rise by 8 percent in 2011. Companies in the sector wood, paper and publishing are more sombre, on the other hand. They foresee a decrease in investment spending.
Manufacturing companies invested substantially less in 2010 than in 2009. Realised investment was 23 percent lower. The largest decrease was for the basic metal and metal products industry, where investment spending was half the level of 2009.