German Printing and Media Industry
Business Climate Improves in October

The business climate index for the German printing and media industry improved in October 2026. The seasonally adjusted business climate index, calculated by the BVDM, showed an increase of 7.5 percent compared to the previous month. Both the current business situation and expectations for the coming six months saw significant improvement.

In October 2026, decision-makers surveyed by the ifo Institute assessed their business situation more favorably than in the previous month. Outlooks for the next six months also trended toward greater optimism. The seasonally and calendar-adjusted business situation index rose in October 2026 compared to the previous month and stood nearly 16 percent higher than in the same month last year. Among the companies surveyed, 13 percent rated their current business situation as good, 70 percent as satisfactory, and 17 percent as poor.

Assessments of order backlogs also improved slightly in October: four percent of the companies surveyed rated their backlog as good, 68 percent as satisfactory, and 28 percent as poor. Capacity utilization also showed a positive trend, rising to 73.2 percent—an increase of 1.4 percentage points compared to July of this year—though it remains below the level recorded in the same month last year. Furthermore, the proportion of companies reporting production constraints fell to 52 percent, down from 60 percent in October 2025. A lack of orders remains the primary obstacle to production, cited by 44 percent of respondents, followed by a shortage of skilled labor, mentioned by 18 percent.

Business expectations among companies in the printing industry for the coming six months have become more optimistic once again. 12 percent of companies expect their business situation to improve, while 15 percent anticipate a downturn. 73 percent of those surveyed expect business performance to remain stable over the next six months.

BVDM

The German Printing and Media Industries Federation (Bundesverband Druck und Medien e. V. – BVDM) is the umbrella organization for the German printing industry. Acting as an employers’ association, a political trade association, and a technical industry body, it represents the positions and objectives of the printing sector in dealings with policymakers, public authorities, trade unions, and the supplier industry. The BVDM is supported by eight regional associations. Internationally, it is represented through its membership in Intergraf and FESPA. The printing industry currently comprises approximately 6,300 enterprises—predominantly small and medium-sized businesses—employing more than 99,000 people subject to mandatory social security contributions.