FACTUREE: The crisis in the plant and mechanical engineering sector is over

Online manufacturer sees recovery of its business in line with VDMA’s growth forecast for production in 2021

FACTUREE: The crisis in the plant and mechanical engineering sector is over

Berlin, May 4, 2021 – The German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) has raised its growth forecast for production in 2021 to 7 percent in real terms and expects that the industry will be able to offset, at least to some extent, the severe economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 crisis. FACTUREE – The Online Manufacturer (www.facturee.de) agrees with this outlook. The company is seeing a significant increase in orders from customers in struggling industries and – thanks partly to its online approach – is on course for growth.

“The crisis caused by COVID-19 in the mechanical and plant engineering sector is over. That’s our assessment, at least, and one that tallies with the VDMA’s current forecasts. We’re currently noticing a significant increase in orders from existing customers – especially from sectors such as mechanical engineering, which were badly hit by the COVID-19 crisis and had been quiet for a long time,” says Benjamin Schwab, Head of Marketing & Sales at cwmk GmbH, adding: “We’re confident that, despite the lockdown, we’ll experience a definite turnaround and that a major recovery is on the horizon.”

Move toward Online Manufacturing: reliable procurement processes

While the mechanical and plant engineering sector is picking up speed again, it is increasingly relying on the concept of Online Manufacturing for its procurement processes. Two key factors for this development are its high reliability and short provisioning times.

The network approach keeps the risks of failed or delayed deliveries, which, especially in times of crisis are particularly high among traditional contract manufacturers, to an absolute minimum, ensuring supply chains are maintained at all times. FACTUREE – The Online Manufacturer is a brand of cwmk GmbH and has a production network of over 1,000 manufacturing partners, mainly from the fields of CNC machining, sheet metal working, 3D printing, and surface technology.

“The industry needs to prepare for the upturn in the mechanical and plant engineering sector. When it comes to their suppliers, market participants must position themselves as resilient entities capable of withstanding shocks in order to remain flexible and operational, not only during a crisis but at all times. Online Manufacturing has a clear competitive advantage, as its procurement processes are far superior to those of traditional contract manufacturing. As an Online Manufacturing network, we can quickly adapt to market conditions – by shifting manufacturing capacity away from plants and regions affected by the lockdown, for example. We use AI tools to find the best provider to meet the requirements,” explains Benjamin Schwab.

FACTUREE continues to expand its capacities

As a logical response to this development and the associated growth, FACTUREE is significantly expanding its capacities – both in terms of resources and personnel as well as office space. In this context, the move to new, larger premises is planned for autumn 2021.

Benjamin Schwab explains: “Our company has always been shaped by growth and change, which is why we will also continue expanding our digital infrastructure. We’re currently working with our customers to develop a new tool that is tailored to their needs and makes the inquiry and ordering processes quick and easy. We’re shifting our focus away from crisis mode and toward the building of the future.”

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