The German materials handling industry group, VDMA, recently shared its production estimates for 2019, indicating that the market has only just started to overtake its pre-GFC levels. It has taken more than 10 years for the materials handling sector to recover from the economic disaster of 2008.
That's why manufacturers are sensitive about political developments which could harm their continued growth - and in Europe, that fear is currently concentrated around Brexit.
As the official date of Britain's exit from the EU approaches, the uncertainty is escalating rather than abating, and there are some nervous people in the industry. We talk to a couple of them in this week's newsletter.