Speciale_EMO_Hannover

20 SPECIAL EMO 2023 For decades, Germany has been Italy’s top trading partner, and the data from the 2022 trade exchange has shown further growth compared to 2021. That’s why it is of fun- damental importance to understand how the German market is performing, especial- ly regarding the machine tool industry. Wil- fried Schäfer is the CEO of VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association). In his role, Schäfer is responsible for leading and representing the interests of the association and its members. In a very interesting in- terview, the CEO of VDW provided us with an overview of market trends in Germany, but most importantly, the expectations for the future, in a rather complex mar- ket context with high inflation and interest rates that are weighing on both the indus- try and consumers. According to Schäfer, the forecasts indicate a decline in demand, but thanks to the backlog of orders, a 10% growth in production is expected in 2023. According to the association, there will be a weak recovery in 2024, also thanks to the EMO trade fair in Hannover, which will bring an increase in orders. Among the chal- lenges and opportunities that the machine tool industry will have to face, adapting to recent regulations pushes companies to focus on the development of alternative technologies such as electric and hybrid powertrains to meet the changing require- ments. Sustainability remains an important element. Many companies have made sig- nificant investments in renewable energy technologies, with an increasing focus on practices such as recycling, reusing mate- rials, and designing products with longevity in mind. Additionally, the concept of ‘cradle to cradle’ is gaining popularity. Can you give us an overview of how the machine tool market is going in Germany? Which foreign markets and application sectors are currently the most important? “Germany has a strong reputation in the machine tool industry. Renowned as a global powerhouse, the country excels as both a prominent producer and export- er of top-tier machine tools. Its machine tool market thrives on fierce competition and embraces cutting-edge technology, showcasing its advanced prowess. It ex- ports a significant portion of its machine tools to countries around the world. Some of these include the EU, United States, China, and other Asian markets. There is an especially high demand for German machine tools in the automotive and aer- ospace industry, as well as in the metal- working and electronics industry”. What are the market prospects for 2023? And for next year? “In the current year, we expect demand to decline due to the weak global economy. In Germany and Europe in particular, high inflation and interest rates are weighing on both industry and consumers. However, German machine tool manufacturers have high order backlogs and can therefore nev- ertheless further increase their production German machine tool manufacturers have high order backlogs and can therefore further increase their production in 2023 although the industry is expected to experience a decline in demand this year. Forecasts indicate a slight recovery in 2024. We discuss these and other issues with Wilfried Schäfer, CEO of VDW, who shares insights into the ongoing market trends in Germany Expectations and visions for the German market Renato Castagnetti