The Dutch manufacturing industry has experienced a significant decline in production in March 2024, according to the latest data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). In March, the calendar-adjusted output was 6 per cent lower compared to the same month in 2023, marking a continued downward trend observed over the last eight months.

When seasonal and working-day adjustments are applied, the decline becomes more pronounced with a 1.5 per cent drop in March compared to February. This adjustment method provides a clearer view of short-term output changes and reveals the high volatility typical in manufacturing output. After a steep decline in the spring of 2020, which saw output hitting its lowest in May 2020, there was a recovery that lasted until May 2022. Since then, the trend has reversed, as per CBS.

Despite these challenging conditions, there is a silver lining as the mood among Dutch manufacturers has seen improvement. April brought a less negative outlook compared to March, with manufacturers feeling particularly positive about future output and less negative about their order positions.

However, the situation contrasts with sentiments in Germany, a crucial market for Dutch manufacturing. German manufacturers reported more negative sentiments in April, as per Eurostat findings.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)

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