The real order backlogs in Germany’s manufacturing sector grew by 1.0 percent in February 2026 compared to January 2026, adjusted for seasonality and calendar effects. According to preliminary results released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Monday, the order backlog also increased by 7.5 percent year-on-year when adjusted for calendar variations.
This growth in the order backlog was mainly driven by the automotive industry, which saw a rise of 3.8 percent month-on-month (seasonally and calendar adjusted), and the miscellaneous vehicle manufacturing sector (including aircraft, ships, trains, and military vehicles), which grew by 0.9 percent. Additionally, an increase of 2.0 percent in the production of data processing equipment, electronics, and optical goods contributed positively to the overall result.
Domestic open orders rose by 0.7 percent in February 2026 compared to January 2026, while the backlog of foreign orders increased by 1.1 percent.
For capital goods manufacturers, the order backlog edged up by 1.2 percent compared to the previous month, January 2026. Conversely, the order backlog for intermediate goods declined by 0.2 percent. However, manufacturers of consumer goods saw an increase of 2.4 percent in their order backlogs, partly fueled by a substantial contract in the technical textiles sector.
The coverage of the order backlog also expanded in February 2026 to 8.6 months (up from 8.3 months in January 2026). For capital goods manufacturers, the coverage period rose to 12.0 months (from 11.5 months in January 2026), while the coverage for intermediate goods remained stable at 4.5 months. Consumer goods manufacturers saw their order coverage increase to 3.8 months (from 3.6 months in January 2026).
