With Business

Industrial Expansion

The German economy is developing in a way that many economists never expected. A large number of new jobs are being created by industrial companies.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  That counters the trend in other developed nations where heavy industry and manufacturing are gradually disappearing and the services sector accounts for most new jobs. Economists are puzzled, because production costs in Germany are high. We visited two companies in the southwestern city of Heilbronn that are expanding production and recruiting new employees.

NUMBER CRUNCHER:

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  14,800 new industrial robots were installed in Germany last year. Most are in service as welding and assembly robots in the automotive industry, or to help with packing goods. The fastest has four arms and can sort up to 180 items per minute. It's used primarily in the solar energy industry, but can also pack chocolates. Some one million robots are now in use in factories worldwide.