Employment and Added value in the EU Manufacturing sector show a slight decrease in Q4-2023

Made@EU index is up

In the EU27 countries, the absolute employment in the manufacturing sector continued to decrease. Currently 15% of the working population is Europe is employed in the Manufacturing sector. In Q4-2023, Germany is slightly up, but the Netherlands follow the EU trend of -0.3%.

The added value of the manufacturing sector decreased in the total EU27 countries. Germany and the Netherlands were both up compared to the year 2022.

The Made@EU index (Manufacturing added value per person employed) showed a strong increase of 8% for EU27 total. Both Germany and the Netherlands topped that percentage with 9 and 13%.

The data show the continued trend of less employment of people in the Manufacturing sector versus an increase both in Manufacturing value add in absolute EUROS as well as in Value add per employed person in the sector. It is expected the increased digitization and robotization of manufacturing processes is the main reason for the development of less people employed and more value add.

Dr. Gerard Ekhart DBA

Founder Revitalize Industry Institute

Benschop, May 6th 2024