The S&P Global Czechia Manufacturing PMI registered 53.5 in September 2026, comfortably above the 50 threshold separating growth from contraction, according to data released on 1 October 2026. The survey, covering responses collected between 10 and 22 September, marks seven consecutive months of expansion in the sector since March 2026.

New orders rose for the seventh straight month, at the second-fastest rate since February 2022, while export orders also continued to grow, albeit at a three-month low. Employment at Czech manufacturing firms increased at the quickest pace since April 2022, as companies expanded their workforces to keep up with production demands. The survey also flagged mounting pressures: backlogs lengthened for a ninth consecutive month, delivery times stretched to a three-month high, and input costs accelerated sharply amid Middle East-driven energy price increases, yet business confidence about the year ahead remained above its long-run average.

For UK buyers assessing the resilience of Czech suppliers, sustained new-order growth and the fastest hiring pace in over four years are a meaningful signal: firms are adding permanent headcount rather than relying on overtime, indicating they view current demand as durable rather than a temporary spike. The lengthening delivery times and rising input costs, while a near-term watch item for margins, also point to capacity running close to full utilisation, a reminder for UK manufacturers and procurement teams to lock in Czech supply relationships and capacity allocation now, before competition for that capacity intensifies further.

Source: S&P Global

 Prepared by the CzechTrade United Kingdom & Ireland office.