The Local Germany

Why has German car production hit a 22-year low?

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 16:19:06 +0100

Carmakers built just 4.7 million cars in Germany in 2019, industry data showed Monday, squeezing production to its lowest level since 1997 as US-China trade tensions sapped vital foreign markets.

New Tesla factory to be built near Berlin

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 00:06:43 +0100

A new Tesla auto factory for the European market will be based in Germany, chief executive Elon Musk said Tuesday.

Last year's German car sales highest since 2010

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 17:40:10 +0100

More cars were registered on German roads in 2017 than in any year this decade, as sales continued a long-running growth streak, government and industry figures showed Thursday.

Adidas to bring production home with robot shoe factory

Wed, 25 May 2016 12:59:55 +0200

Adidas, the German maker of sportswear and equipment, announced Tuesday that it will start marketing its first series of sportshoes manufactured by robots in Germany from 2017.

1 in 4 plagiarized tech goods made in Germany

Fri, 08 Aug 2014 18:45:00 +0200

German companies are ranked second in the world for industrial plagiarism, a global study released on Friday found.

Welcome to Germany: Land of one million jobs

Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:59:00 +0100

Germany has more than one million job vacancies, with the number of work openings at its second highest level in almost ten years.

'Made in Germany' tag threatened by EU

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 14:45:00 +0200

Fears are growing in Germany that new EU rules could herald the demise of the “Made in Germany” merchandise mark – and with it a reputation for quality built up over decades.

Adidas hits currency hurdles but profits up

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 11:09:00 +0200

German sports clothing giant Adidas could finally be running out of steam, latest profit figures suggest.

German manufacturing soars in June

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:58:00 +0200

German industrial production strongly rebounded in June driven by all sectors after people took advantage of the May bank holidays to extend their time off, official data showed on Wednesday.

Last big German TV maker fights for survival

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 10:34:00 +0200

Loewe, Germany's last major manufacturer of high-end televisions, is fighting for survival in a sector increasingly dominated in recent years by Asian rivals, filing for protection from its creditors as it hunts for new investors.

Consumers irked by goods built to break

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:35:00 +0100

That two-year-old fridge that spluttered and died? The washing machine you had to replace after a year? Such planned obsolescence is no accident, with a new German study warning that many goods are not being made to last.

ThyssenKrupp ship joint venture runs aground

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:19:00 +0200

German steel group ThyssenKrupp said on Friday that talks to create a broad joint venture with Abu Dhabi MAR had broken down, a setback for the German company's plans to reduce debt.

The family secret behind the economic boom

Wed, 18 May 2011 18:57:00 +0200

The backbone of Germany’s booming economy isn’t huge industry – it's thousands of small and mid-sized firms spread across the country. The Local's David Wroe reports on the quiet achievers known as the Mittelstand.

VW targets Toyota with €51 billion in investments

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:21:00 +0100

German automaker Volkswagen will invest more than €50 billion in new and improved models over the next five years in a bid to unseat Toyota as the world leader in car manufacturing.

Skilled migrants urgently needed, says minister

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:33:00 +0200

With Germany industry facing a looming skills shortage, Economy Minister Rainer Brüderle revealed on Friday he was planning a major recruitment drive to attract skilled migrants.

The cuckoo clock makes a comeback

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:41:00 +0200

Derided by many at pure kitsch not too long ago, the cuckoo clock is experiencing something of a renaissance. Artists, designers and clock manufacturers are now reinterpreting this so-very-German product.

VW offers job guarantees to 100,000 workers

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:36:00 +0100

Nearly 100,000 Volkswagen employees in Germany have had their jobs guaranteed until the end of 2014 under a deal struck between the carmaker and union officials on Tuesday.

Bosch announces $400-million diesel engine project in India

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:23:00 +0100

The Indian arm of German engineering giant Bosch said Monday it would invest more than $400 million over two years to expand in the country's fast-growing diesel engine market.

US should take Germany as example, says Obama advisor

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:34:00 +0100

One of President Barack Obama's senior economic advisors Paul Volcker said the US could take a leaf out of Germany's book when it comes to creating an export-based economy.

Siemens posts billion euro loss

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:33:00 +0100

German industrial giant Siemens said Thursday it suffered a net loss of €1 billion in the last quarter of its 2008/09 fiscal year, and expected the current year to be worse.