By Q3 2023, Dutch manufacturing employment was slipping at -0.5% while turnover still climbed 2.1% year on year, a tension you rarely see in a single sector. From 2022, the contrast is just as sharp, with 10.1% of total employment in manufacturing but only 2.8% unemployment and average labor costs of €38.2 per hour. We pull together the key Netherlands industry figures behind these shifts, from output and trade to energy use and R and D.
Key Takeaways
- 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 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
In 2022 Dutch manufacturing employed 737,000 people, but headwinds lowered job growth and output prices surged.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment in Industry29 stats
01
The manufacturing sector employed 737,000 people in 2022
02
In 2022, manufacturing jobs accounted for 10.1% of total employment in the Netherlands
03
Chemical manufacturing employed 92,000 workers in 2022
04
Food, drink and tobacco sector had 432,000 employees in 2022
05
Metal products manufacturing jobs totaled 78,000 in 2022
06
Electrical equipment sector employed 45,000 in 2022
07
Machinery manufacturing had 72,000 employees in 2022
08
Transport equipment manufacturing employed 38,000 workers in 2022
09
Rubber and plastics sector jobs were 52,000 in 2022
10
Pharmaceutical manufacturing employed 28,000 in 2022
11
Average hours worked per manufacturing job were 1,420 in 2022
12
Manufacturing labor costs per hour were €38.2 in 2022
13
Paper manufacturing employed 22,000 workers in 2022
14
Textile sector had 12,000 jobs in 2022
15
Wood manufacturing employed 28,000 in 2022
16
Unemployment rate in manufacturing was 2.8% in 2022
17
Part-time employment in manufacturing was 25.4% of jobs in 2022
18
Female employment share in manufacturing was 28.7% in 2022
19
Manufacturing employment decreased by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022
20
Temporary jobs in manufacturing were 12.3% in 2022
21
Self-employed in manufacturing numbered 45,000 in 2022
22
Youth employment (15-25) in manufacturing was 8.5% in 2022
23
Manufacturing wage index rose 5.1% in 2022
24
Average manufacturing wage was €45,200 annually in 2022
25
Vacancy rate in manufacturing was 3.2% in Q3 2023
26
Manufacturing employment growth was -0.5% in Q3 2023
27
Skilled labor shortage in manufacturing affected 65% of firms in 2023
28
Manufacturing jobs in SMEs (1-49 employees) totaled 320,000 in 2022
29
Large firms (>250 employees) held 58% of manufacturing jobs in 2022
Interpretation
Employment 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.
02 · Category
Energy Production and Consumption24 stats
01
Netherlands total primary energy supply was 3,232 PJ in 2021
02
Natural gas accounted for 38% of Netherlands total energy consumption in 2021
03
Renewable energy share in total final consumption reached 14.4% in 2021
04
Wind energy production was 25.6 TWh in 2022
05
Solar PV generation totaled 15.1 TWh in 2022
06
Biomass energy contributed 57 PJ to renewable supply in 2021
07
Netherlands produced 62 TWh of electricity from renewables in 2022
08
Total electricity generation was 117 TWh in 2022
09
Natural gas production fell to 12 bcm in 2022 from Groningen field decline
10
Industry sector consumed 1,012 PJ of energy in 2021, 37% of total
11
Refinery throughput was 72.3 million tons in 2022
12
Heat production from renewables was 12.5 PJ in 2021
13
Offshore wind capacity reached 2.5 GW in 2022
14
Onshore wind capacity was 4.1 GW at end of 2022
15
Industrial energy intensity decreased 1.8% in 2022
16
Chemical industry used 412 PJ energy in 2021
17
Greenhouse sector energy consumption fell 5.2% in 2022 to 92 PJ
18
Total final energy consumption was 2,452 PJ in 2021
19
Carbon capture utilization and storage capacity planned 2.5 MtCO2/year by 2026
20
Hydrogen production target 3-4 GW electrolysis by 2030
21
Electricity consumption by industry was 42 TWh in 2022
22
Natural gas imports were 65 bcm in 2022
23
Energy efficiency in industry improved 2.1% in 2021
24
Biofuel blending in transport reached 12.5% in 2022
Interpretation
Energy 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.
03 · Category
Exports and International Trade25 stats
01
Netherlands exported €178.4 billion in manufacturing goods in 2022
02
Chemical products exports from Netherlands reached €92.1 billion in 2022
03
Machinery and electrical equipment exports totaled €58.3 billion in 2022
04
Food and beverages exports were €32.7 billion in 2022
05
Mineral fuels exports amounted to €45.6 billion in 2022
06
Plastics and rubber exports reached €15.4 billion in 2022
07
Pharmaceuticals exports were €28.9 billion in 2022
08
Vehicles exports totaled €12.1 billion in 2022
09
Germany was the top destination for Dutch manufacturing exports at €64.2 billion in 2022
10
Belgium imported €28.5 billion in Dutch goods in 2022
11
Manufacturing import value was €192.3 billion in 2022
12
Trade balance for manufacturing goods was -€13.9 billion in 2022
13
Exports to the US reached €18.7 billion for manufacturing in 2022
14
France imported €17.4 billion Dutch manufacturing products in 2022
15
UK exports from Netherlands manufacturing were €15.2 billion in 2022
16
Manufacturing export growth to EU was 2.1% in 2022
17
Non-EU manufacturing exports rose 8.4% in 2022
18
Rotterdam port handled 467 million tons of manufacturing-related cargo in 2022
19
ASML exported €20.5 billion in semiconductor equipment in 2022
20
Unilever Netherlands exports food products worth €5.6 billion annually
21
Shell Pernis refinery exported refined products €12.3 billion equivalent in 2022
22
Manufacturing services exports were €42.1 billion in 2022
23
China imported €9.8 billion Dutch manufacturing goods in 2022
24
Italy exports €8.7 billion in 2022
25
Manufacturing export price index increased 11.2% in 2022
Interpretation
Exports 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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Innovation and R&D in Industry19 stats
01
Manufacturing R&D expenditure was €12.5 billion in 2021, 52% of total business R&D
02
Netherlands ranked 5th in EU for R&D intensity at 2.3% of GDP in 2021
03
High-tech manufacturing R&D spending €6.8 billion in 2021
04
ASML invested €3.2 billion in R&D in 2022 for lithography tech
05
Philips R&D expenditure €1.7 billion in 2022 on health tech
06
Chemical sector R&D was €2.1 billion in 2021
07
Patent applications in manufacturing 4,500 in 2022
08
R&D personnel in industry 112,000 FTE in 2021
09
Government R&D funding to industry €1.9 billion in 2021
10
Horizon Europe grants to Dutch industry €450 million in 2021-2022
11
NXP Semiconductors R&D spend €2.3 billion in 2022
12
Innovation box tax relief claimed €1.2 billion by manufacturing firms in 2021
13
68% of manufacturing firms innovated products in 2020-2022
14
Process innovation in manufacturing 55% of firms in 2022
15
R&D intensity in chemicals 4.2% of turnover in 2021
16
Food industry R&D €850 million in 2021
17
Eindhoven high-tech region R&D €8.5 billion in 2022
18
Venture capital in Dutch industry startups €2.1 billion in 2022
19
AI patents by Dutch industry 1,200 in 2022
Interpretation
Innovation 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.
05 · Category
Manufacturing Output and Production29 stats
01
In 2022, the Dutch manufacturing industry contributed €186.5 billion to the gross value added, representing 11.2% of total GDP
02
Dutch manufacturing production volume increased by 1.3% in September 2023 compared to September 2022
03
The chemical manufacturing subsector in the Netherlands produced €52.3 billion in value added in 2022
04
In 2022, the food, drink and tobacco manufacturing sector output reached €44.1 billion in gross value added
05
Metal products manufacturing in the Netherlands generated €15.7 billion in value added in 2022
06
Electrical equipment manufacturing output was €12.4 billion in gross value added for 2022
07
Machinery manufacturing contributed €11.8 billion to Dutch manufacturing value added in 2022
08
Transport equipment manufacturing value added stood at €9.2 billion in 2022
09
In Q3 2023, manufacturing turnover rose 2.1% year-on-year, driven by chemical products
10
Manufacturing production in the Netherlands grew by 4.5% in the electrotechnical and machine sector in 2022
11
Rubber and plastics manufacturing output was €8.9 billion in value added in 2022
12
Pharmaceutical manufacturing generated €7.6 billion in gross value added in 2022
13
The Dutch manufacturing purchasing price index rose 12.4% in 2022 compared to 2021
14
Industrial production excluding energy fell 0.8% in August 2023 year-on-year
15
Manufacturing working hours index was 102.5 in 2022 (2015=100)
16
Paper and printing manufacturing value added €5.3 billion in 2022
17
Textile manufacturing output contributed €2.1 billion to value added in 2022
18
Wood manufacturing value added was €3.4 billion in 2022
19
Manufacturing production volume index stood at 105.2 in 2022 (2015=100)
20
In 2023, manufacturing turnover in domestic market increased 1.5% year-on-year
21
Export market manufacturing turnover rose 3.2% in Q4 2023
22
The manufacturing sector's intermediate consumption was €320.4 billion in 2022
23
Dutch manufacturing gross output totaled €523.7 billion in 2022
24
Capacity utilization in manufacturing averaged 81.2% in Q3 2023
25
Manufacturing orders received increased 4.7% in Q3 2023 year-on-year
26
In 2022, manufacturing value added per hour worked was €52.3
27
Food manufacturing production grew 2.1% in 2022
28
Chemical industry production volume rose 3.8% in 2022
29
Metal industry production fell 1.2% in 2022
Interpretation
Manufacturing 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.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Netherlands Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Netherlands Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/netherlands-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Netherlands Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
13 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level