Overview
- In October, the ifo order‑backlog index for chemicals fell to −68.9, the weakest reading in over three decades, while the sector’s business climate dropped to −19.4 and the outlook to −13.3.
- Capacity utilisation in chemicals has slid to about 70–71 percent versus a ten‑year average of 81 percent, pressuring profitability and prompting investment cuts and staff reductions, according to ifo.
- A separate ifo survey shows a record 36.6% of German firms report weaker competitiveness versus non‑EU rivals, with more than half of chemical companies citing losses, said survey lead Klaus Wohlrabe.
- VCI reports Q3 declines with chemical output down year over year (−4.3% per AFP), prices −0.6%, revenues at €52.1 billion (−2.3% YoY per VCI), utilisation around 70% and employment edging down to roughly 478,000.
- Industry leaders warn that bureaucracy from Berlin and Brussels now outweighs energy and tax burdens, say current government relief has not produced a turnaround, and flag US tariffs and global price pressure as additional drags.