With 81 companies and 51 supporting members, the current mood in the surface finishing industry only reflects a small part of the surface technology sector. And yet the survey conducted by the German Aluminum Surface Finishing Association (VOA) at the turn of the year 2022/2023 is interesting.
82% of members stated that their production is restricted by the effects of the current economic situation. The consequences of the war are affecting 41% of companies. Global supply bottlenecks caused by a variety of geopolitical risks are affecting 29% of VOA members. The economy is currently in a weak phase. High prices are weighing on consumers and companies, while inflation is slowing down consumption and investment by companies.
The construction industry, which has not been slowed down by the coronavirus pandemic in recent years, is now also heading for a crisis: interest rates and construction costs are rising, investors are holding back and projects are on hold for the time being. Companies in the surface finishing industry organized in the VOA, the majority of which work for the construction industry, are concerned that this will have an impact. Although 47% of VOA members reported the same turnover development as in the previous year and 41% reported an increase of 19%, these figures should not obscure the serious situation: Capacity utilization fell at 53% of member companies to an average of 81%, which corresponds to a drop of 9% compared to the previous year. The number of orders received also fell by 41%. In addition, energy-intensive sectors such as surface finishing in particular are expected to continue to experience restrictions in industrial production due to rising costs. The increased prices are already having a significant impact on 77% of members, with 17% even seeing them as a threat to their existence. Expectations for 2023: 59% of members anticipate a positive to moderate development for their companies, while 41% see the near future as negative to very negative. VOA Managing Director Dr. Alexa A. Becker complained that the "energy cost reduction program", which is intended to provide companies with subsidies, is very bureaucratic and involves a great deal of effort.
In addition to the energy problem, 59% of VOA member companies - 25% more than in the previous year - are feeling the effects of the shortage of skilled workers. 65% of member companies provided training in 2022 and 82% plan to do so in 2023.
