Creating Reliable Framework Conditions Instead of Trade Barriers: Dickow Pumpen in Dialogue with Member of Parliament Stephan Mayer

Business and politics in discussion on the competitiveness of mechanical engineering: Open markets instead of new barriers.

Dickow Pumpen GmbH & Co. KG discussed the implications of new trade barriers for the mechanical engineering sector with Member of Parliament Stephan Mayer (CSU). The meeting was initiated by a letter from Managing Director Alexander Hammer addressing the impact of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium derivatives. This was followed by an on-site visit to Waldkraiburg in early January. Discussions focused on the competitiveness of export-oriented medium-sized companies, additional tariffs and documentation requirements, as well as weakening market dynamics in European sales markets – particularly within the chemical industry.

Shrinking Industrial Markets, Particularly in the Chemical Industry

Dickow Pumpen is increasingly feeling the impact of a weakening investment climate in the European chemical and process industries. As projects are postponed or cancelled, demand for high-quality pump technology and plant components declines – a trend that particularly affects medium-sized machinery manufacturers with a strong export focus. “Demand from the European chemical industry has been declining for some time. For specialised companies like ours, this means that we are more dependent than ever on stable international conditions”, said Alexander Hammer. Stephan Mayer understood the difficulties of declining industrial markets and emphasised his support for measures that secure the international competitiveness of mechanical engineering.

Trade Barriers & Bureaucracy: A Threat to Competitiveness

Dickow Pumpen is particularly affected by the US special tariffs on steel and aluminium derivatives that have been in force since August 2025. These tariffs result in a levy of 50% on the metal value and 15% on the remaining value. Furthermore, a significant amount of administrative work is involved. For each component, the country of casting or smelting must be documented and its metal content calculated precisely. This has already led to delivery stoppages and delayed exports. Alexander Hammer comments: “This bureaucratic burden is virtually unmanageable in practice. It is unacceptable that we are forced to stop exports because documentation requirements exceed reasonable limits.” In his response, Stephan Mayer stated that mechanical engineering products that are neither safety-relevant nor strategically sensitive should be exempt from these sectoral special tariffs. He described the burden as a “disproportionate distortion of competition” for highly specialised small and medium-sized enterprises.

New Trade Agreements and Market Diversification

Stephan Mayer acknowledges both opportunities and challenges, citing new trade agreements such as the EU-Mercosur Agreement as examples. In addition to eliminating unnecessary trade barriers, export-oriented medium-sized companies require reliable access to global markets. Dickow Pumpen highlights the growing importance of regions such as South America, Indonesia and India, as a way of reducing dependence on stagnating European markets. Therefore, the company is calling for the faster ratification and provisional application of existing or already-negotiated trade agreements. Mayer expressly supports this demand. In his letter he states: “Provisional application of Mercosur can quickly open new market opportunities for German and, in particular, Bavarian companies.” (Editor’s note: At the time of the meeting, the Mercosur Agreement had not yet been signed.)

Implications for the District of Mühldorf am Inn

Waldkraiburg is considered as an industrial centre in the district of Mühldorf am Inn, with many highly specialised medium-sized companies. These companies contribute significantly to the region's economic strength through skilled jobs, training opportunities, technological expertise, and stable value creation. Not all businesses are equally affected by current global developments; however, due to the concentration of specialised industries, an economic downturn in the German, Bavarian, or European economy would be felt particularly strongly at this location.

In this context, the exchange between Dickow Pumpen and Member of Parliament Stephan Mayer is highly relevant: Challenges such as a decline in the chemical industry, trade barriers and an increase in bureaucratic burdens affect not only individual companies but can also impact regional industrial structures. Initiatives that ensure international competitiveness and stabilise market access therefore make an important contribution to the economic future of the entire district.

Outlook

Dickow Pumpen is firmly committed to its location in Waldkraiburg and is convinced that it offers the best conditions for long-term success. The company is confident that its technical expertise, highly qualified employees and international outlook will enable it to succeed even in a volatile market environment, provided that political and economic conditions remain stable.

In this context, Dickow Pumpen will continue its dialogue with political decision-makers, continuing to promote fair and globally aligned trade conditions. This involves reducing unnecessary bureaucratic burdens, harmonising technical standards and approval procedures and thereby simplifying export processes and enhancing planning certainty. At the same time, the company will consistently examine and exploit opportunities in dynamically growing markets – including South America, Indonesia and India – to reduce its dependence on stagnating European industries.

Dickow Pumpen is strongly convinced that Waldkraiburg will continue to be a strong industrial location in the future. The company continuously invests in its employees, technology, infrastructure and quality, seeing this as the basis for long-term success at its location – both for customers worldwide and for the region.

Company Profile

Dickow Pumpen GmbH & Co. KG, based in Waldkraiburg, has been designing and producing high-quality Centrifugal and Side Channel Pumps for chemical, petrochemical, and industrial applications since 1910. As one of Europe's leading manufacturers of magnetically coupled pumps, the company supplies key technology for secure and emission-free pumping processes. Dickow employs around 200 people, and exports a significant proportion of its products worldwide, including to key markets such as the United States. As a medium-sized company belonging to the Astrid Dickow Foundation, Dickow stands for technical expertise, durable products, and a high level of vertical integration at its Waldkraiburg site. With an international focus and regional roots, Dickow Pumpen has been contributing to industrial strength and economic development in the district of Mühldorf a. Inn for almost 80 years.