The metal and electrical industry of Baden-Wuerttemberg generates a turnover of more than 200 billion Euros a year (2008) in approx. 5,000 establishments with a total of over 880,000 employees. The companies generate most of this turnover by manufacturing capital goods. More than a half of products and services are exported.
The M+E industry is largely made up of small and medium-sizedenterprises. Over two thirds of the companies employ fewer than 100staff; only six percent have a workforce of over 500. The largest M+Esectors are mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, electricalengineering, metalworking and the precision mechanics/optics/clockssector. The number of permanent jobs rose by about 50,000 during therecent cyclical upswing between 2006 and 2008. As a result, the numberof people working in the M+E industry is now again higher than it wasmore than 10 years ago.
Success factors of the German metal and electrical industry
The decisive factor determining the strong position of M+E companies in the world market is their high level of productivity, continuous innovations and well-qualified staff. The M+E industry is characterized by networks of suppliers and producers of different sizes from different sectors – and sometimes located in different countries. German M+E companies have holdings in over 4000 companies abroad employing approx. 1.3 million employees. Spreading the value chain worldwide secures competitive advantages, which also benefit the German locations.