Posts Tagged China
China and USA boom markets for German electrical industry
September 25th, 2011 | Thema: News
The German electrical industry’s exports have shown themselves to be largely unimpressed by the worldwide debt crisis up to now. This has been reported by the Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie (ZVEI, or the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association). Exports in July amounted to 12.2 billion euros, which is equivalent to a plus of one per cent in an annual comparison. Between January and July 2011 exports totalled 86.1 bn euros, thus exceeding the 2010 level by ten per cent. Electrical imports to Germany rose to 73.1 bn euros in the first seven months of the year. The export surplus of 13 billion euros was 63 per cent higher than in the previous year. German electrical exports grew to China above all with a plus of 24 per cent and deliveries to the USA, at plus 19 per cent, also saw above average growth.
Despite the uncertain prospects for growth the electrical industry’s future forecasts are cautiously optimistic for the coming quarter. 15 per cent of electrical companies expect export business to continue to grow in the coming three months. 73 per cent foresee exports remaining the same or stable. Twelve per cent are assuming business will decline.
Further growth in Chinese mechanical engineering
July 18th, 2011 | Thema: News
The Chinese market for machinery also grew in the first quarter of 2011, but with less dynamism than in 2010: the growth of 29.1 per cent was 14.4 percentage points below the plus in the first quarter of 2010. These figures have been reported by German Trade and Invest (GTAI), the Federal Republic of Germany’s agency for foreign trade and inward investment. The agency attributes the weakening in growth primarily to lower growth in the automotive sector, which gained merely 10.2 per cent in the first quarter. In contrast there were above average figures in construction machinery (58.6%) and in equipment for the chemicals and petrochemicals industries (32.8%).
Growth in machinery imports continues to be posted. Thus according to customs information machinery imports to the People’s Republic of China gained 50 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Observers expect growth of 20 per cent for the whole of 2011. In comparison: in 2010 Chinese machinery imports increased by 40 per cent to 125 billion US-dollars. At the same time Japan was able further to build on its position as the most important supplier ahead of Germany in the first quarter of 2011.
A first: China main destination for German foreign investment
May 16th, 2011 | Thema: News
43 per cent of the direct investments made by German companies abroad will flow to China this year. Thus the People’s Republic will take top spot for the first time. This is the result of a current study from the Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammertag (DIHK, or Germany Chambers of Commerce).
Cost arguments were not generally at the forefront for foreign investments here. Thus only 22 per cent of those surveyed gave cost reductions and outsourcing labour as their investment motive – in comparison: eight years ago this figure was 42 per cent. In contrast, a more important motive was tapping the market using foreign production. This was the hope of a good third of companies according to the survey. According to DIHK information, companies that invest abroad also create jobs in Germany. They were responsible for 60,000 jobs in industry this year, a good two thirds of all newly created industrial jobs.
Intralogistics sector expects recovery after sales collapse
February 21st, 2011 | Thema: News
The German intralogistics sector generated sales that were nine per cent lower in 2010 than in the previous year. Sales had already collapsed by 24 per cent in 2009 in comparison with the peak year 2008. This was reported by the Forum Intralogistik in the Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA, or German Mechanical Engineering Association). Thus the decline was considerably lower than the 17 per cent fall forecast at the beginning of 2010. The VDMA expects a rise in sales of nine per cent this year. Annual sales in the sub-sector will then be 16 billion euros in 2011.
The growth drivers last year were exports to the BRIC states. China became the most important customer country for the intralogistics sector. German providers exported products and systems worth 946 million to the Chinese market last year. This was 43 per cent more than in 2009. Thus China overtook the USA (2010: 702 m euros) and France (2010: 658 m euros).
German intralogistics exports to Brazil more than doubled in 2010. They increased by 133 per cent on the previous year to 414 m euros. Exports of German intralogistics to Russia rose by 39 per cent and to India by 31 per cent.
China’s purchasing manager index falls
July 5th, 2010 | Thema: News
Growth in China’s manufacturing industry has weakened. The official Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) of the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP) fell to a seasonally adjusted 52.1 points in June 2010. In May the PMI was still at 53.9 points and it was at 55.7 points in April. However, this decline started from a relatively high level. According to the CFLP’s information, an Index above 50 points indicates expansion in manufacturing business. The Index is based on surveys of 727 Chinese companies from 20 industrial sectors. The majority of these sectors – 14 in total – reported values below 50 points, which indicates a contraction in these areas.
The PMI has been recorded since 2005. It reached its low in November 2008, with 38.8 points and its peak value was achieved in December 2009 with 56.6 points.