Comparison of European Labour Costs by IMK
Germany’s labour costs still share a middle ranking at position eight among European States. Read more
Import Prices: Sharpest One Month Drop
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) in October 2008, the index of import prices increased by 2.9% from the corresponding month of the preceding year. This was the lowest year-on-year-rate since October 2007 (+2.3%). Read more
DHL Exits U.S. Operations
Deutsche Post World Net will exit their U.S. operations by the end of January 2009. Losses suffered in the U.S. domestic air and ground business have caused DHL to cease operations there. Read more
BMW: Fleet of All-Electric Vehicles MINI E
The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. Read more
BASF Reduces Production Worldwide
BASF is taking measures to avoid the creation of overcapacities as a result of a massive decline in demand. The company is temporarily shutting down around 80 plants worldwide. In addition, BASF is reducing production at approximately 100 plants. This was already announced for polystyrene and caprolactam. Scheduled maintenance work is being brought forward. Read more
Pool4Tool: Financing New Projects Interest-free
Selected Services, provider of the web-based supplier portal Pool4Tool, offers interest-free financing of any initial costs to all new customers who choose the SaaS solution by 31 March 2009. Read more
The Caravan Passes on
In the IBM report „Global Location Trends“, Africa and South America score high as new global investment locations. Read more
Rewe Invests More than 660 Million Euros in Logistics
Today’s start-up of operations at the Buttenheim warehouse marks the beginning of a national logistics offensive by Rewe Group, which will invest more than 660 million euros to expand its national logistics network by 2011. Read more
35.4% Improvement in Raw Materials Productivity since 1994
In 2007, overall raw materials productivity in Germany was 35.4 percent above its 1994 level. This is one of the findings of the new indicator report on sustainable development in Germany, compiled by the Federal Statistics Authorities (Destatis). The national strategy for sustainable development in Germany aims at doubling raw materials productivity from 1994 to 2020. Read more
Purchasing Manager Index Reflecting the Crisis
The November issue 2008 of the Markit/BME Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) fell by 4.5 points to 42.9 in the reporting period of October, its lowest level in seven years. Read more
„Woman Power“ at Siemens
Today, Siemens AG has appointed Barbara Kux to the Managing Board of the newly established Supply Chain Management Division. Read more
LBBW Wins Innovation Prize 2008
The Association Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics e.V. (BME) has awarded the “BME Innovation Prize 2008” to the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW). Read more
Buyers to Become Crisis Managers
“Many companies have had to completely overhaul their budgets for 2009 – quite a few sectors are facing a buyer’s market again, more or less over night,” said Dr Jürgen Marquard, President of the German Association Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics, in his opening speech before 2,000 participants at the “43rd BME Symposium Purchasing and Logistics” in Berlin, on 10 November. He went on to say that controllers had adjusted their expectations in terms of purchasing. 2009 would become the year of cost management – and thus of strategic purchasing. Read more
Wholesale Prices Falling Slightly
In October 2008, the Wholesale Price Index was up 3.6 percent compared to last year’s level. In September and August 2008, the annual change rates were +5.8 percent and +7.4 percent respectively. Compared to the previous month, the Wholesale Price Index fell by 1.5 percent in October 2008. Read more
intec Award for Developments
At the opening of “intec”, the trade fair for manufacturing, tool and special purpose machines, and of the supplier trade fair “Z” in Leipzig, a prize for excellent developments will be awarded again. All companies and institutions exhibiting at intec from 24 to 27 February 2009 are invited to participate in the competition. The products, processes and services are assessed with regard to their innovation and market potential.
The prize will be awarded to companies in categories with up to 50 employees and to those with more than 50 employees. In addition, young professionals may apply for the intec award promoting career starters. In the category of companies with more than 50 employees the award, which is worth 5,000 euros, is donated by “Sachsen Bank”. In the category of companies with up to 50 employees, the sponsor is RKW Sachsen GmbH. The award promoting young professionals is sponsored by Elke Kaiser, Messe-Management Kaiser.
For the first time, the winners will obtain – in addition to a certificate and prize money – a trophy (20 cm) made of pure crystal glass representing the tower of the trade fair with the double M, the Messe Leipzig logo. The motive on the glass is laser-engraved. Reflections of light along the cuts make the contours visible. The Dresden-based company Alotec, exhibitor at intec and specialist for laser shaping, is in charge of the laser work.
Exhibitors interested in the intec prize can apply from now on until 9 January 2009. The relevant documents and further details are available on the internet under: intec-Preis
Manufacturers of Building Machinery Well-Positioned
After six consecutive years of growth the German industry of construction equipment and building material machinery will be facing an end of the boom in 2009. Read more
160,000 Business Customers for T-Home
Deutsche Telekom continues to restructure the group. In the future, the division T-Home, Sales&Service Germany, will be responsible for servicing the roughly 160,000 business customers of Deutsche Telekom. T-Systems will fully focus on the ICT solution business comprising around 400 national and international major Telekom customers, and is also the contact point for public authorities and the health system. Read more
iGPS Order for 30 Million Pallets with RFID
The high demand for iGPS pallets has led to the largest order in the history of Schoeller Arca Systems. The manufacturer of returnable plastic packaging solutions for materials handling will supply up to 30 million pallets of Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS) over the next five years. Such an agreement was announced recently by the American pooling company. iGPS, based in Orlando (Florida), was founded in 2006 and is the world’s first manufacturer of pallets with an integrated RFID technology. Read more
bfai promotes Buying Trips to Germany
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the German Office for Foreign Trade (bfai) arranges information events and business trips for buyers as part of the Export Initiative Renewable Energies 25.
Under the Export Initiative Renewable Energies (EEE), the bfai organises information events and buying trips, targeting small and medium-sized German companies (SME) which operate in the renewable energy sector. According to the bfai in Cologne, the participating companies of this industry will be provided with specific country and market information as well as useful business contacts when they enter new markets. During these organized buying trips, foreign prospective customers travel for a few days to selected companies in Germany, at their own expense (travel expenses). This initiative is a targeted approach to advertising German renewable energy technology and fostering new contacts between foreign companies and German manufacturers.
The target group for promotion are the manufacturers and providers of plants and technology for the use of renewable energy. 21 buying trips and four information shows on renewable energy technology are offered. The agenda for the trip and the meetings will be organized in advance by experienced consultants.
