East German construction sector remains weak

Demand for construction services in eastern Germany remains weak. The weakness in the construction industry, which has persisted since the beginning of the year, has only stabilized at a low level, said Robert Momberg, Managing Director of the Construction Industry Association East. The volume of orders between January and September fell by 0.7 percent to 14.5 billion euros compared to the same period last year.

There was a significant drop in commercial construction (-7.4 percent) and residential construction (-6.7 percent). In contrast, public construction recorded an increase of 10.1 percent compared to the same period last year. "Taking into account the year-on-year increase in construction prices, this results in a real decline in order value of 4.7 percent for the main construction sector in eastern Germany as of September 2024 compared to 2023," said Momberg. This means that the downward trend has slowed compared to the first half of the year.

The association represents the interests of 260 construction companies with around 20,000 employees in Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.