Nearly 3 in 10 machines in Belgian factories are idle, NBB data show

Almost three in ten machines in Belgian factories are currently standing idle, according to reports by De Tijd and L'Echo. Capacity utilisation in Belgian manufacturing has fallen to 73.1%, its lowest level since April 2020, when the coronavirus crisis began. On average, 27% of machines in manufacturing are not in use.

The figures are based on the latest data from the National Bank of Belgium (NBB), the country's central bank. Falling utilisation is a sign that demand, or expectations of demand, is weakening. That in turn raises the risk of job losses.

Wallonia more affected than Flanders

The slowdown is not evenly spread. Flanders uses 75.3% of its available capacity, while Wallonia uses only 67.1%. The NBB does not publish figures for Brussels. La Libre Belgique reports that Wallonia is more affected by the slowdown than Flanders.

The metallurgy sector, iron and steel processing, construction materials production and machine building are among the sectors hit hardest. La Libre Belgique describes the slowdown as hitting heavy sectors such as metallurgy and construction materials particularly hard.

Jobs and industry reaction

In the second quarter of 2026, industry as a whole employed 538,500 people. That was 8,200 fewer than a year earlier.

Agoria, the federation for the metal and technology industry, calls the industrial slump "unseen" (ongezien). According to VRT NWS, sector federations are calling for measures to address high costs and have issued warnings about the situation.