- High raw material and energy prices will continue to burden companies in 2023:
The immediate risk of further sharp price increases is assessed as low, but prices remain at a high level.
- Companies have taken measures to counteract high prices: Price agreements with price escalation clauses for raw material costs with suppliers (e.g. index-linked) continue to be the most popular price model (78%). However, longer term fixed price agreements (incl. raw material cost) have regained in importance (+17%p).
- The supply situation has eased considerably for many raw materials:
Reduced availability is now a burden for only 28% of companies. The participants expect significantly fewer supply problems – except for oil/gas, rare earths, electricity and lithium. Hardly any measures are still being taken to ensure security of supply. 39% expect the Raw Materials Act to improve the supply of raw materials in the medium to long term.
- Declining sales volumes reduce procurement requirements:
43% of the companies surveyed state that declining sales volumes have a significant impact on their business results. This increases the importance of optimizing inventories. An easing of the acute shortage of personnel seems possible.
- Nearshoring and friendshoring options are gaining importance for resilience reasons:
The geographic footprint for near- or friendshoring focuses on the EU and Western partners.