• • • APPOINTMENTS • • •
GERMANY REMAINS THE UK’S SECOND LARGEST TRADING PARTNER DESPITE WEAKENING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR GERMAN INDUSTRIAL GOODS G
ermany remains the UK’s second largest trading partner
despite weaking global demand for German industrial goods, say audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Nils Schmidt-Soltau, a Partner at
the firm, said: “Data from the Department for Business and Trade shows that Germany remains a key trade partner for the UK, having been the UK’s second largest trading partner in the four quarters to Q4 2025, with total trade of £152.5 bn.” Nils said: “However, based on the
latest figures published by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), although Germany’s foreign trade overall remained broadly stable there are limited signs of an export-led recovery and decreasing global demand for industrial goods.” He added: “German exports rose by 0.9 per cent
month on month to €136.6bn, while imports increased more strongly, up 1.2 per cent to €122.1bn. The resulting trade surplus of €14.5bn
remains substantial, but is below the level recorded a year earlier, pointing to a gradual weakening of Germany’s traditional export driven growth model, where economic performance has historically been underpinned by strong global demand for German industrial goods.” Nils said: “A notable feature of the current environment is the divergence in demand across
regions. Exports to EU member states increased by 6.6 per cent in the first four months of 2026, while exports to markets outside the EU declined by 3.3 per cent. This indicates that Germany’s trade performance is increasingly supported by European demand rather than broader global demand.” He added: “This is reinforced by
weaker demand from major non EU trading partners. Exports to the United States and China, two of Germany’s largest external partners, have declined on a year to date basis, highlighting softer
demand for German exports in key global markets.” Nils said: “Destatis notes that the April 2026
figures are provisional and subject to revision, and that short term monthly movements should, therefore, be interpreted with caution.”
https://www.blickrothenberg.com
FESTO LAUNCHES AN AI-POWERED VIRTUAL ASSISTANT TO HELP ENGINEERS MINIMISE DOWNTIME AND ACCESS TECHNICAL ANSWERS IN SECONDS
F
esto has introduced its new AI-powered Virtual Assistant to give engineers and
maintenance teams immediate access to reliable technical answers, helping them resolve issues faster and keep operations moving. The Festo Virtual Assistant is an AI-powered
online tool developed specifically for industrial automation applications. It delivers context-related answers to technical queries in seconds, enabling users to move more quickly from problem identification to resolution without the need to manually search multiple data sources. Unlike general-purpose AI systems, the Virtual
Assistant operates exclusively on verified Festo data sources, including datasheets, manuals, technical documentation and engineering tools. It ensures that all outputs are based on reliable, application-relevant information. The Virtual Assistant is designed to interpret technical context, allowing it to respond to engineering queries with a high degree of accuracy. By consolidating information typically spread
across multiple systems into a single interface, the Virtual Assistant simplifies access to engineering knowledge for users in automation, electrical, maintenance and industrial IT roles. It supports a broad range of applications, including fault diagnosis, component selection, access to technical standards and retrieval of product data. Besides offering best practice solutions, it
electricalengieneeringmagazine.co.uk ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JUNE 2026 5
provides direct links to Festo engineering tools for sizing or simulation and helps with machine troubleshooting. Available 24/7, the Virtual Assistant is ideal for
continuous production environments, providing support across shifts, including nights and weekends. This enables engineers to access technical guidance at the point of need, without delay. Users can describe technical issues in their own words, as though they were talking to a
colleague. The more precise the question, the more specific the answer will be. No additional training is required, making it simple to adopt this AI tool within existing workflows. The Festo Virtual Assistant is available via the
Festo website. It is free to use and can be accessed using an existing Festo login or through a simple registration process.
www.festo.com/virtual-assistant
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