Preliminary results from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) indicate that the real (price-adjusted) order backlog in the manufacturing sector increased by 0.4 percent in April 2026 compared to March 2026, after adjusting for seasonal and calendar effects. Compared to the previous year, the order backlog grew by 8.4 percent in April 2026, after calendar adjustments.
The rise in the order backlog during April 2026 is largely attributable to increases in the production of data processing equipment, electronic and optical products (which rose by 2.4 percent month-on-month, after seasonal and calendar adjustments), and in the miscellaneous vehicle construction segment (including airplanes, ships, trains, and military vehicles; an increase of 0.6 percent). Conversely, the decline in the chemical industry (-3.7 percent) acted as a negative factor.
Looking at the origin of the orders, commitments received domestically rose by 0.2 percent in April 2026 compared to March 2026, while international orders increased by 0.6 percent.
Segment-specific performance showed that the order backlog for capital goods manufacturers rose by 0.5 percent compared to March 2026, whereas consumer goods manufacturers saw an increase of 1.6 percent. In the raw materials sector, the order backlog remained unchanged.
In April 2026, the order backlog coverage remained stable at 8.8 months compared to March 2026. For manufacturers of raw materials, the coverage held constant at 4.6 months, for capital goods manufacturers, it stood at 12.2 months, and for consumer goods manufacturers, it remained at 4.0 months.
The coverage metric indicates how long businesses would operate, in terms of utilization, by completing existing orders if sales remained constant and no new orders were received. According to the authority, it is calculated as the quotient of the current order backlog and the average sales over the preceding twelve months within that specific economic sector.
