Manufacturing output almost 13 percent up in April

Output growth in almost all industries

In April, almost all industries saw their output increase on an annual basis. The transport equipment industry achieved the highest growth. This is partly because a number of companies in this sector closed their factories in April last year.

Manufacturing output back to pre-coronavirus levels

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, an increase of 0.2 percent is seen in manufacturing output between March and April 2021.

Adjusted for seasonal and working-day effects, manufacturing output is seen to fluctuate significantly. From mid-2014 until the beginning of 2018, the overall trend was upward. Subsequently, the trend has been downward. A low point was reached in May 2020. After that, output picked up again.

Producer confidence at highest level in three years

In May 2021, the mood among Dutch manufacturers has improved further and has reached the highest level in three years.

Germany is an important foreign market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In May, German producer confidence has improved again according to the Business Climate Index of the IFO Institute. Companies reported improved business, but optimism declined with regard to expectations. In April, the average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry grew by over 34 percent year-on-year, as reported by Destatis. Compared to April 2019, however, output was still more than 6 percent lower.