Plus five percent

According to ZVEI - Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie, the companies of the electro-technical and electronic branches in Germany will probably complete the year 2006 with a growth of 5%. This doubles the first forecast of the association made at the start of the year. In total, the ZWEI expects in this year a turnover of 173 b Euro for this second-largest industry in Germany. At the same time the innovation effort will exceed the 16 b limit – with expenditure for research and development at 9.1 b Euro, investment of 6 b Euro and primary and advanced training of 1.5 b Euro.

In the first four months of this year the turnover of the German electro-technical and electronic branches increased by a good 6% to 55.7 b Euro. In 2005 it was 52.3 b Euro for the same period resulting in a total for the year of 165.4 b Euro. This positive development, according to the ZVEI estimates, is also reflected in employment. The employment position in the electro-technical and electronic branches has stabilized at approximately 800,000.