Overview
- DIHK chief Helena Melnikov says many Mittelstand manufacturers are shifting production abroad or closing sites.
- Since 2019, roughly 400,000 industrial jobs have been lost, according to the chamber’s analysis.
- More than 1,600 industrial firms went insolvent in 2025, the highest tally in twelve years and a warning for Germany’s industrial base.
- A survey of about 23,000 companies shows only 15% see improvement, with one third planning to cut investment and one quarter preparing job reductions.
- DIHK forecasts just 0.7% growth in 2026 and says ECB rate cuts to near 2% will not revive investment without domestic reforms on costs, taxes, and bureaucracy.