German cooling and climate industry shows strong economic resilience

The German cooling, climate, and heat pump industry is demonstrating significant economic resilience, according to the 2026 VDKF economic survey. Despite a sluggish broader German economy, 68% of companies in the sector rate their business situation as good or very good, with only 5% reporting poor conditions.

Growth is being driven by structural trends such as digitalization, decarbonization, and urbanization, rather than cyclical economic shifts. The industry is increasingly viewed as critical infrastructure for data centers, the process industry, healthcare, and building technology. Current data shows an increase in order backlogs from 11 to 13 weeks, with a capacity utilization rate of 93%.

The sector's attractiveness to international investors is highlighted by recent market activity, including the valuation of fan and motor manufacturer ebm-papst at an enterprise value of €5.1 billion. The acquisition of ebm-papst by the US-based Madison Air underscores the global demand for German engineering expertise in this field.