The german ZVEI (Central Association of the German Electrical and Electronics Industry ) has raised its growth forecast for 2010. Instead of the expected five percent increase it is predicted that German electrical production will increase by eight percent, from 145 billion Euros to 160 billion Euros. A complete return to the pre-crisis level of 182 billion Euros could happen well before the estimated period of up to seven years.

A key driver is the export trade which in the first six months of 2010 made a much stronger recovery than expected. In July the degree of capacity utilisation of the electrical companies increased to 86 percent and is again above the long-standing average of 83 percent. The number of short-time workers has fallen from 156,000 at the height of the crisis to 58,000 and should reduce much further by the end of the year. The economic climate in the electrical industry at the moment is the best it has been since the summer of 2007.