Look past the windmills and tulip fields, because the Netherlands' industrial engine is roaring, contributing a substantial €186.5 billion to the national GDP in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the Dutch manufacturing industry contributed €186.5 billion to the gross value added, representing 11.2% of total GDP
- Dutch manufacturing production volume increased by 1.3% in September 2023 compared to September 2022
- The chemical manufacturing subsector in the Netherlands produced €52.3 billion in value added in 2022
- The manufacturing sector employed 737,000 people in 2022
- In 2022, manufacturing jobs accounted for 10.1% of total employment in the Netherlands
- Chemical manufacturing employed 92,000 workers in 2022
- Netherlands exported €178.4 billion in manufacturing goods in 2022
- Chemical products exports from Netherlands reached €92.1 billion in 2022
- Machinery and electrical equipment exports totaled €58.3 billion in 2022
- Netherlands total primary energy supply was 3,232 PJ in 2021
- Natural gas accounted for 38% of Netherlands total energy consumption in 2021
- Renewable energy share in total final consumption reached 14.4% in 2021
- Manufacturing R&D expenditure was €12.5 billion in 2021, 52% of total business R&D
- Netherlands ranked 5th in EU for R&D intensity at 2.3% of GDP in 2021
- High-tech manufacturing R&D spending €6.8 billion in 2021
The Netherlands' manufacturing sector contributes significantly to GDP and exports, particularly chemicals and food.
Employment in Industry
1The manufacturing sector employed 737,000 people in 2022
Verified2In 2022, manufacturing jobs accounted for 10.1% of total employment in the Netherlands
Verified3Chemical manufacturing employed 92,000 workers in 2022
Verified4Food, drink and tobacco sector had 432,000 employees in 2022
Directional5Metal products manufacturing jobs totaled 78,000 in 2022
Single source6Electrical equipment sector employed 45,000 in 2022
Verified7Machinery manufacturing had 72,000 employees in 2022
Verified8Transport equipment manufacturing employed 38,000 workers in 2022
Verified9Rubber and plastics sector jobs were 52,000 in 2022
Directional10Pharmaceutical manufacturing employed 28,000 in 2022
Single source11Average hours worked per manufacturing job were 1,420 in 2022
Verified12Manufacturing labor costs per hour were €38.2 in 2022
Verified13Paper manufacturing employed 22,000 workers in 2022
Verified14Textile sector had 12,000 jobs in 2022
Directional15Wood manufacturing employed 28,000 in 2022
Single source16Unemployment rate in manufacturing was 2.8% in 2022
Verified17Part-time employment in manufacturing was 25.4% of jobs in 2022
Verified18Female employment share in manufacturing was 28.7% in 2022
Verified19Manufacturing employment decreased by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022
Directional20Temporary jobs in manufacturing were 12.3% in 2022
Single source21Self-employed in manufacturing numbered 45,000 in 2022
Verified22Youth employment (15-25) in manufacturing was 8.5% in 2022
Verified23Manufacturing wage index rose 5.1% in 2022
Verified24Average manufacturing wage was €45,200 annually in 2022
Directional25Vacancy rate in manufacturing was 3.2% in Q3 2023
Single source26Manufacturing employment growth was -0.5% in Q3 2023
Verified27Skilled labor shortage in manufacturing affected 65% of firms in 2023
Verified28Manufacturing jobs in SMEs (1-49 employees) totaled 320,000 in 2022
Verified29Large firms (>250 employees) held 58% of manufacturing jobs in 2022
DirectionalEmployment in Industry Interpretation
While Dutch manufacturing hums along with a robust 737,000-person engine—over half its workforce concentrated in large firms—it's clearly navigating a paradox of high wages, shrinking employment, and a widespread skilled labor shortage that 65% of firms are desperately trying to plug.
Energy Production and Consumption
1Netherlands total primary energy supply was 3,232 PJ in 2021
Verified2Natural gas accounted for 38% of Netherlands total energy consumption in 2021
Verified3Renewable energy share in total final consumption reached 14.4% in 2021
Verified4Wind energy production was 25.6 TWh in 2022
Directional5Solar PV generation totaled 15.1 TWh in 2022
Single source6Biomass energy contributed 57 PJ to renewable supply in 2021
Verified7Netherlands produced 62 TWh of electricity from renewables in 2022
Verified8Total electricity generation was 117 TWh in 2022
Verified9Natural gas production fell to 12 bcm in 2022 from Groningen field decline
Directional10Industry sector consumed 1,012 PJ of energy in 2021, 37% of total
Single source11Refinery throughput was 72.3 million tons in 2022
Verified12Heat production from renewables was 12.5 PJ in 2021
Verified13Offshore wind capacity reached 2.5 GW in 2022
Verified14Onshore wind capacity was 4.1 GW at end of 2022
Directional15Industrial energy intensity decreased 1.8% in 2022
Single source16Chemical industry used 412 PJ energy in 2021
Verified17Greenhouse sector energy consumption fell 5.2% in 2022 to 92 PJ
Verified18Total final energy consumption was 2,452 PJ in 2021
Verified19Carbon capture utilization and storage capacity planned 2.5 MtCO2/year by 2026
Directional20Hydrogen production target 3-4 GW electrolysis by 2030
Single source21Electricity consumption by industry was 42 TWh in 2022
Verified22Natural gas imports were 65 bcm in 2022
Verified23Energy efficiency in industry improved 2.1% in 2021
Verified24Biofuel blending in transport reached 12.5% in 2022
DirectionalEnergy Production and Consumption Interpretation
While the Netherlands’ energy story remains a complex tango between its deep-rooted natural gas legacy and its ambitious wind-and-solar-powered future, the real plot twist is an industrial sector sweating the efficiency details as it sips its coffee.
Exports and International Trade
1Netherlands exported €178.4 billion in manufacturing goods in 2022
Verified2Chemical products exports from Netherlands reached €92.1 billion in 2022
Verified3Machinery and electrical equipment exports totaled €58.3 billion in 2022
Verified4Food and beverages exports were €32.7 billion in 2022
Directional5Mineral fuels exports amounted to €45.6 billion in 2022
Single source6Plastics and rubber exports reached €15.4 billion in 2022
Verified7Pharmaceuticals exports were €28.9 billion in 2022
Verified8Vehicles exports totaled €12.1 billion in 2022
Verified9Germany was the top destination for Dutch manufacturing exports at €64.2 billion in 2022
Directional10Belgium imported €28.5 billion in Dutch goods in 2022
Single source11Manufacturing import value was €192.3 billion in 2022
Verified12Trade balance for manufacturing goods was -€13.9 billion in 2022
Verified13Exports to the US reached €18.7 billion for manufacturing in 2022
Verified14France imported €17.4 billion Dutch manufacturing products in 2022
Directional15UK exports from Netherlands manufacturing were €15.2 billion in 2022
Single source16Manufacturing export growth to EU was 2.1% in 2022
Verified17Non-EU manufacturing exports rose 8.4% in 2022
Verified18Rotterdam port handled 467 million tons of manufacturing-related cargo in 2022
Verified19ASML exported €20.5 billion in semiconductor equipment in 2022
Directional20Unilever Netherlands exports food products worth €5.6 billion annually
Single source21Shell Pernis refinery exported refined products €12.3 billion equivalent in 2022
Verified22Manufacturing services exports were €42.1 billion in 2022
Verified23China imported €9.8 billion Dutch manufacturing goods in 2022
Verified24Italy exports €8.7 billion in 2022
Directional25Manufacturing export price index increased 11.2% in 2022
Single sourceExports and International Trade Interpretation
The Netherlands, in a feat of economic alchemy, transforms a hefty import bill into a towering €178.4 billion export empire—powered by chemicals, machinery, and brains—yet still finds itself €13.9 billion in the red, proving that even a global titan can have an expensive shopping habit.
Innovation and R&D in Industry
1Manufacturing R&D expenditure was €12.5 billion in 2021, 52% of total business R&D
Verified2Netherlands ranked 5th in EU for R&D intensity at 2.3% of GDP in 2021
Verified3High-tech manufacturing R&D spending €6.8 billion in 2021
Verified4ASML invested €3.2 billion in R&D in 2022 for lithography tech
Directional5Philips R&D expenditure €1.7 billion in 2022 on health tech
Single source6Chemical sector R&D was €2.1 billion in 2021
Verified7Patent applications in manufacturing 4,500 in 2022
Verified8R&D personnel in industry 112,000 FTE in 2021
Verified9Government R&D funding to industry €1.9 billion in 2021
Directional10Horizon Europe grants to Dutch industry €450 million in 2021-2022
Single source11NXP Semiconductors R&D spend €2.3 billion in 2022
Verified12Innovation box tax relief claimed €1.2 billion by manufacturing firms in 2021
Verified1368% of manufacturing firms innovated products in 2020-2022
Verified14Process innovation in manufacturing 55% of firms in 2022
Directional15R&D intensity in chemicals 4.2% of turnover in 2021
Single source16Food industry R&D €850 million in 2021
Verified17Eindhoven high-tech region R&D €8.5 billion in 2022
Verified18Venture capital in Dutch industry startups €2.1 billion in 2022
Verified19AI patents by Dutch industry 1,200 in 2022
DirectionalInnovation and R&D in Industry Interpretation
The Netherlands clearly knows that true progress is not just a series of incremental patents, but rather a beautifully orchestrated ecosystem of public funding, brainpower, and corporate giants like ASML and Philips betting big on the future—all while deftly navigating a very favorable tax regime.
Manufacturing Output and Production
1In 2022, the Dutch manufacturing industry contributed €186.5 billion to the gross value added, representing 11.2% of total GDP
Verified2Dutch manufacturing production volume increased by 1.3% in September 2023 compared to September 2022
Verified3The chemical manufacturing subsector in the Netherlands produced €52.3 billion in value added in 2022
Verified4In 2022, the food, drink and tobacco manufacturing sector output reached €44.1 billion in gross value added
Directional5Metal products manufacturing in the Netherlands generated €15.7 billion in value added in 2022
Single source6Electrical equipment manufacturing output was €12.4 billion in gross value added for 2022
Verified7Machinery manufacturing contributed €11.8 billion to Dutch manufacturing value added in 2022
Verified8Transport equipment manufacturing value added stood at €9.2 billion in 2022
Verified9In Q3 2023, manufacturing turnover rose 2.1% year-on-year, driven by chemical products
Directional10Manufacturing production in the Netherlands grew by 4.5% in the electrotechnical and machine sector in 2022
Single source11Rubber and plastics manufacturing output was €8.9 billion in value added in 2022
Verified12Pharmaceutical manufacturing generated €7.6 billion in gross value added in 2022
Verified13The Dutch manufacturing purchasing price index rose 12.4% in 2022 compared to 2021
Verified14Industrial production excluding energy fell 0.8% in August 2023 year-on-year
Directional15Manufacturing working hours index was 102.5 in 2022 (2015=100)
Single source16Paper and printing manufacturing value added €5.3 billion in 2022
Verified17Textile manufacturing output contributed €2.1 billion to value added in 2022
Verified18Wood manufacturing value added was €3.4 billion in 2022
Verified19Manufacturing production volume index stood at 105.2 in 2022 (2015=100)
Directional20In 2023, manufacturing turnover in domestic market increased 1.5% year-on-year
Single source21Export market manufacturing turnover rose 3.2% in Q4 2023
Verified22The manufacturing sector's intermediate consumption was €320.4 billion in 2022
Verified23Dutch manufacturing gross output totaled €523.7 billion in 2022
Verified24Capacity utilization in manufacturing averaged 81.2% in Q3 2023
Directional25Manufacturing orders received increased 4.7% in Q3 2023 year-on-year
Single source26In 2022, manufacturing value added per hour worked was €52.3
Verified27Food manufacturing production grew 2.1% in 2022
Verified28Chemical industry production volume rose 3.8% in 2022
Verified29Metal industry production fell 1.2% in 2022
DirectionalManufacturing Output and Production Interpretation
The Dutch manufacturing sector, a titan of chemistry and calories contributing over €186 billion to the economy, proves that even a well-oiled machine can have a squeaky wheel, as seen in modest growth figures and stubbornly high costs.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 2OECoec.worldVisit source
- Reference 3PORTOFROTTERDAMportofrotterdam.comVisit source
- Reference 4ASMLasml.comVisit source
- Reference 5UNILEVERunilever.comVisit source
- Reference 6SHELLshell.comVisit source
- Reference 7IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 8ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 9PHILIPSphilips.comVisit source
- Reference 10EPOepo.orgVisit source
- Reference 11NXPnxp.comVisit source
- Reference 12BRAINPORTbrainport.nlVisit source
- Reference 13DUTCHSTARTUPASSOCIATIONdutchstartupassociation.nlVisit source