Belgian industry operating at lowest capacity level since COVID-19 crisis

Nearly three in 10 machines in Belgian factories are currently idle as the country's industrial downturn deepens, according to figures released by the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) and cited by news outlets De Tijd and L'Echo on Wednesday.

Capacity utilization in Belgian manufacturing fell to 73% in the third quarter of 2026, its lowest level since April 2020, according to the latest NBB data.

The figures indicate that an average of 27% of industrial production capacity remained unused in recent months, reflecting weakening demand and growing pressure on the country's manufacturing sector.

Since records began in the late 1980s, capacity utilization has fallen below the current level in only four quarters.

Outside the coronavirus pandemic, similarly low levels were recorded mainly during the 2009 global financial crisis.

Compared with the 2021-2025 average, manufacturing capacity utilization has declined by nearly 4 percentage points.

The downturn, however, varies significantly between Belgium's regions.

Capacity utilization stood at 75.3% in Flanders, compared with 67.1% in Wallonia, highlighting the sharper industrial slowdown in the country's southern region.

At the sector level, metal production, iron and steel processing, building materials and machinery manufacturing have been particularly affected, with capacity utilization significantly below levels recorded in recent years.