Manufacturing production in the Netherlands edged up by 0.1% month-on-month in May 2026, slowing from an upwardly revised 1.6% increase in April. Growth cooled across several industries, notably food (0.7% vs 1% in April), leather and footwear (2.3% vs 3.7%), and basic metals (1.3% vs 2.1%).
Output fell in textiles (-1.1% vs 3.7%), wood (-1.6% vs 1.6%), chemicals (-6.1% vs 3.8%), metal products (-4.4% vs 3.1%), electrical appliances (-0.4% vs 11.6%), and building materials (-1.7% vs 1.6%). Activity also contracted more sharply in pharmaceuticals (-11.2% vs -9.1%) and in rubber and plastics (-1.5% vs -0.8%).
On an annual basis, manufacturing production rose by 4.9% in May, unchanged from the previous month.
