BERLIN (GERMANY) – The ZDH association said on Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic and measures implemented by the government to slow the spread of the coronavirus are affecting the skilled trades sector, which expects sales to drop this year for the first time since 2013.
ZDH President Peter Wollseifer told, “The partial lockdown is also hitting many craft businesses hard,” adding that many companies were struggling with weaker demand and sales.
“The order backlog is largely well below the level that is otherwise typical for the time of year,” he added.
The ZDH association expects nominal sales in the skilled trades sector to come down by 4% this year. That would be the first sales dip in seven years.
“For many companies, the financial perspective is uncertain. Almost every second company expects increasing financial bottlenecks,” he added.
Germany’s ZDB construction association said on Tuesday it expected nominal sales to witness a slump for the first time in more than ten years by next year as companies in Europe’s largest economy are limping back to build activity due to the pandemic.