Posts Tagged German Market
Logistics market grows, companies looking to recruit specialists
April 23rd, 2012 | Thema: News
The logistics market in Germany grew by six per cent in 2011. These figures were published by the Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL, or the German Logistics Association) on the “Day of Logistics” in Berlin. The positive development of the logistics economic sector has also been reflected in an above average development in staff salaries in comparison with the German employment market as a whole. This is the result of a survey by the BVL. According to the survey over 50 per cent of the companies asked are planning salary rises of more then three per cent in the next 12 months. Furthermore, the good prospects for the future of over 50 per cent of the companies surveyed are inducing them to increase their staffing levels in the coming year.
In view of this development the member companies of the BVL are looking to recruit qualified employees with numerous activities. For example, 70 per cent of the companies surveyed are supporting employees with training and further education. According to 61 per cent of those surveyed an additional incentive has been created with flexible working times. But companies’ lists of measures also include additional bonus payments or investments in health management according to the BVL.
200,000 new jobs at Mittelstand companies
April 16th, 2012 | Thema: News
So-called “Mittelstand” companies (SMEs) in Germany are going to recruit around 200,000 new employees this year. This figure is forecast by the German Association of Chambers of Trade and Commerce (DIHK) on the basis of a current business survey. According to this survey 18 per cent of those asked want to recruit new staff in 2012 while around ten per cent of SMEs want to reduce their headcount. At the same time the DIHK is also reporting problems in finding suitable skilled labour for vacant positions. Among others this applied to IT, research and development service providers in particular.
In terms of the general business outlook the results of the survey show a cautiously optimistic picture among the German Mittelstand. 22 per cent of companies expect better earnings in the next few months while 17 per cent expect losses. At least 45 per cent of those surveyed asses their current situation as “good” and 46 per cent as “satisfactory”. In contrast, only nine per cent of SMEs are currently taking about their own situation as “bad”.
Apprenticeship market in Germany regionally different
April 10th, 2012 | Thema: News
565,900 young people began a vocational apprenticeship in 2011. That is 1.2 per cent more than in the previous year. These provisional results have now been presented by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). However, this overall result was reached with significant local differences. The apprenticeship markets in the west and east of Germany have developed very differently according to the figures. While in the former West Germany 13,000 more apprenticeship contracts were concluded than in the previous year, equivalent to a plus of 2.8 per cent, in the former East Germany this figure was 6,900 fewer than in 2010. This meant a decline of 6.9 per cent.
The Federal Statistical Office sees possible causes for the differences in demographic developments and in the efforts of many young people with the university entrance qualification to complete higher education. While in trades the number of new apprentices fell by 2,100, in industry and retail 10,400 more apprenticeship contracts were concluded than in 2010.
Fewer larger companies and small businesses started in 2011
April 2nd, 2012 | Thema: News
Around 144,000 businesses were started in Germany in 2011, whose legal form and number of employees allows the conclusion to be reached that they are of greater financial significance. As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports, this was 3.4 per cent fewer than in 2010. The number of small business also dropped: in 2011 it fell by 4.1 per cent to 293,000 compared to 2010.
A current evaluation of business registrations statistics also disclosed business closures in 2011. Developments differed between larger companies and small businesses. The number of business closures of companies with greater financial significance dropped. Over 119 000 businesses were closed in 2011, 4.6 per cent fewer than in the previous year. In contrast, the number of small businesses that were given up in 2011 was 1.1 per cent higher than in the previous year at nearly 302,000.
Air freight prices rose markedly in 2011
March 19th, 2012 | Thema: News
The prices for outbound air freight transports from German airports were around 23 per cent higher on average for the year in 2011 than in 2010. This is the result of a current assessment by the Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis, or Federal Statistical Office). This increase is in part attributable to the strong rise in kerosene surcharges. According to Destatis, freight rate rises were in double figures on average for the year on all flight routes. Thus compared with 2010 prices rose particularly strongly for air freight transports to India (plus 28 per cent), China (plus 30 per cent) and to the United Arab Emirates (plus 36 per cent). Transport flights within Europe (plus 15 per cent) and flights to Brazil (plus 13 per cent) had the lowest prices rises.