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Like all future-relevant industries, the German mechanical engineering sector is also entering a new era – Industry 4.0. The fourth industrial revolution is characterized above all by intelligent and networked systems that not only interconnect production steps but also digitize and simplify the work between people and production. At the heart of these processes is information and communication technology, which is primarily incorporated through the use of the Internet. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

Internet of Things

When talking about Industry 4.0, the term Internet of Things is unavoidable. The Internet of Things describes a wide variety of technologies that network physically existing and virtual objects with each other. The “Internet of Things” (IoT) also holds great promise for the mechanical engineering industry. The New York-based startup Augury is one of many startups that improve the efficiency of machines through intelligent systems: Augury has developed sensors that record vibrations and temperatures of machines and use this information with the help of artificial intelligence to assess the functionality of the machines or the “machine health”. If error messages appear, Augury’s system makes recommendations for action. Problems can thus be detected more quickly and production downtimes prevented.

Industry 4.0 = sustainable production?

Sustainability also takes an important position in Industry 4.0 – over 70% of German industrial companies are convinced that Industry 4.0 will reduce CO2 emissions. Important for this are also optimization windows of production processes but also the tracking, management and optimization of energy flows. Through efficient and digitalized energy management, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 10% at the Bosch plant in Homburg, for example, by predicting the course of energy consumption.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

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If you find out about the future of chemistry, sooner or later the buzzword “Chemistry 4.0” comes up – but what does that mean in concrete terms? First of all: the pharmaceutical-chemical industry is the largest upstream producer in Germany, the industry is both one of the most important economic factors and essential for the labor market. This is another reason why the industry is an important driver of innovation and growth. Through the transition from Chemistry 3.0 – where the phase of globalization and specialization began – to Chemistry 4.0, at the core of which is digitalization, the circular economy and also sustainability, the industry is taking an important step towards being able to keep up in the international market. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Digitization – Data & Simulations

Data plays a key role in the digitalization of every industry, including the chemical industry. The collection, analysis and evaluation of mass data are also revolutionizing the chemical industry: opportunities to increase efficiency can be identified in processes, just as processes are becoming increasingly automated. Simulations are also playing an increasingly important role: new technologies are available in in-silico research, and synthesis processes can also be simulated.

Marketplaces and cloud platforms as growth drivers

One example of digitalization as a business core is CheMondis – the Cologne-based startup offers a marketplace for the sale and purchase of chemical raw materials, allowing transactions to be processed more transparently and efficiently. Another exciting startup is Kemialytics from Berlin. Kemialytics has created a platform specifically tailored for analytical chemistry, which offers the possibility to develop, store, manage and, above all, collaborate (analytical) methods: thus, analytical information can also be exchanged between different laboratories.

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This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our industry report of the German chemical sector you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Three innovative start-ups in solar energy technology
• Two promising startups in energy storage technology
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• List of 3 renewable energy developers from Germany

The chemical industry worldwide faces a major challenge in the coming years: most of the value creation in chemistry is based on carbon compounds. These carbon compounds are found in only 3 sources that can be accessed: Fossil raw materials, such as coal, natural gas or petroleum, biomass or carbon dioxide. Here, fossil raw materials account for about 15% of the raw material total. Given that fossil raw materials are finite, they are becoming more and more expensive, but also rarer, with the prospect that in the medium term there will no longer be sufficient fossil raw materials, especially oil, available. Accordingly, the chemical industry must make new arrangements and make greater use of other sources. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Gradual replacement of crude oil

Since the integration of crude oil into the (German) chemical industry, especially the petrochemical industry, is so deeply rooted, it will be a while before crude oil is no longer the leading raw material. It is likely that crude oil will initially be replaced by natural gas, although the industry still faces a number of challenges here – because to date it has not yet been possible to convert natural gas directly into finished products. Coal would then be a possible starting point, but a lot of carbon dioxide is produced during processing. Accordingly, in view of climate change, other options such as the expansion of side streams from the food and feed industry or the processing of biomass are more sustainable. The most long-term and climate-friendly solution could even be the production of renewable hydrogen without carbon dioxide emissions, which can be obtained, for example, from the water electrolysis of renewable energies.

Disruptive startups as pioneers

As with almost all industries, to gain insight into innovative ideas and solutions, it is worth taking a look at the startup industry. One very promising startup is Opus-12. The California-based startup has developed a technology through which CO₂ can be recycled into various chemicals/fuels using only water and electricity. This can simultaneously reduce emissions into the atmosphere and produce much-needed chemicals in a sustainable manner. Another example of a successful business model is the Finnish company Neste – Neste produces various renewable products, including a diesel fuel made from 100% renewable resources.

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This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our industry report of the German chemical sector you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Three innovative start-ups in solar energy technology
• Two promising startups in energy storage technology
• List of 3 renewable energy developers from France
• List of 3 renewable energy developers from Germany

One of the greatest challenges at present and in the years to come is the transformation to a sustainable and resource-conserving economy. This also and especially affects the German chemical industry. As a producer and supplier of many raw materials, the chemical industry is at the beginning of commodity chains and is literally at the lever of sustainable change. In addition, the chemical industry is one of the most energy-intensive industries in Germany, accounting for 20% of the energy required in the manufacturing sector. One of the most promising and important approaches to achieve the goal of an environmentally friendly industry is circular economy. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Circular economy – more than recycling

According to the Chemical Industry Association, at the heart of this concept is the reduction of CO2 emissions – itself understandable, the reduction of greenhouse gases is essential to counteract climate change; however, circular economy in the chemical-pharmaceutical sector involves many more areas. Generally speaking, circular economy revolves around 5R’s: take-back, recycling, recovery (of energy), and cleaning and residue disposal. These 5R’s can affect a wide variety of areas and offer plenty of room for innovation. The use of electricity surpluses for the production of chemicals, waste utilization, recycling of CO2 as a raw material or even the extraction of basic chemicals in biorefineries are just a few examples of applications.

Startups as hopefuls for circular economy

Great hopes are pinned on startups that are changing the market with innovative business ideas. Safechem, for example, can significantly reduce the amount of solvent in wastewater through its circular business model, in which it offers a leasing model for solvents. Another exciting startup, Neustark, comes from Switzerland and binds CO2 extracted from the atmosphere into recycled asphalt. So possible business models that have circular economy at their core are many and varied. This is also necessary, because the German chemical industry wants to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2050, and this requires innovations that revolutionize the market.

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This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our industry report of the German chemical sector you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

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• List of 3 renewable energy developers from Germany

The German chemical and pharmaceutical industry accounts for around a quarter of EU chemical sales. This makes Germany Europe’s strongest chemicals location. Worldwide, the German chemical industry ranks fourth after China, the USA and Japan with a sales-related market share of a good 5 percent. In the German industry comparison, the chemical industry is the third most important industrial sector after automobile manufacturing and mechanical engineering. In addition to several large chemical companies (including BASF, Bayer, Fresenius, Henke, Boehringer Ingelheim), there are many medium-sized companies. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Third largest industrial sector with steady growth

The total turnover of the industry amounted to 198.3 billion euros in 2019. Domestic sales accounted for 73.8 billion euros (37 percent) of this total, while 124.4 billion euros in sales (63 percent) were generated from exports. This was offset by 145.9 billion euros in chemical imports. In 2020, the Corona pandemic caused slight declines in sales in all sectors – a temporary phenomenon. In fact, sales in the chemical sector have grown steadily over time – by around 80 percent between 1996 and 2019, or by an average of 2.6 percent annually. Additionally, German chemical companies also produce abroad. Foreign production amounted to around 210 billion euros in 2019.

The four most important production areas in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry are specialty chemicals (25.5 percent share of total production value – as of 2018), pharmaceuticals (23.9 percent), polymers (19.7 percent) and petrochemicals (15.8 percent). Other sectors: Basic inorganic chemicals, detergents and personal care products. Of the nearly 2,200 companies in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, about half have fewer than 50 employees. 43 percent are medium-sized companies with 50 to 500 employees. 7 percent have more than 500 employees. Overall, the industry represented 464,000 jobs in Germany in 2019.
Source: Listenchampion Image source: Unsplash

This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our industry report of the German chemical sector you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

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• List of 3 renewable energy investors from France

Germany has the largest logistics market in Europe, thanks in no small part to the country’s central location on the continent. Its function as a logistics hub is thus predestined. Germany’s share of the European logistics market is around 25 percent. With Deutsche Post DHL Group and Deutsche Bahn, Germany has two logistics heavyweights that are also significant in a global comparison. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

A quarter of the European logistics market

The German logistics market reached a volume of 285 billion euros in 2019, continuing its growth of previous years. Although sales are expected to be somewhat low in 2020 and 2021 due to Corona, further growth is also expected in the future. Significant growth drivers are the e-commerce trend and the international division of labor with its supply chains. With over three million employees, the logistics sector is one of the most important employers in this country. Only about half of the logistics services are performed visibly to the outside world through transport and transshipment on public transport areas; the other half takes place in companies as internal logistics.

Despite a few heavyweights – logistics services are predominantly provided by small and medium-sized enterprises. There are around 60,000 companies in Germany with logistics business models. Around 15,000 of these operate as freight forwarders with a focus on land transport. Other logistics business models: traditional haulage companies, small and self-driving hauliers (subcontractors), courier services, niche providers, sector-specific logistics providers, transport intermediaries, logistics services, developers of innovative and digital logistics solutions. Federal states with a particularly large number of logistics companies and high logistics shares are Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. This is due to the high economic strength of the states and their geographical location.
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In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

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Mechanical engineering is a key German industry and is only surpassed in importance by the automotive industry. The industry has a distinctly medium-sized character. As “hidden champions”, many mechanical engineering companies are world market leaders in their field. Therefore, the high export share of over 80 percent is not surprising. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

A typical sector of the industrial middle class

There are a total of more than 6,600 companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in Germany with over one million employees. In 2019, they achieved a production volume of 224.0 billion euros and total sales of 228.7 billion euros. Export sales amounted to 179.8 billion euros. Imports of machinery reached around 77 billion euros in 2019. Just under half of German machinery exports go to the EU. The most important customer country is France. Outside the EU, the USA and China are the most important buyers of German machinery. Due to the high export share, the industry is highly dependent on global economic developments.

63 percent of the mechanical engineering companies have fewer than 100 employees and account for 12 percent of the sector’s turnover. 31 percent are “medium-sized” mechanical engineering companies with 100 to 500 employees. Their share of turnover is 35 percent. Only 6 percent of the companies have more than 500 employees, but generate more than half of the sector’s turnover (53 percent). Among them are heavyweights such as Siemens, ThyssenKrupp and GEA (formerly Metallgesellschaft). With 25 mechanical engineering employees per 1000 inhabitants, Baden-Württemberg is Germany’s and the EU’s number one mechanical engineering region, with more than 300,000 jobs in the sector. Other German states with a strong mechanical engineering sector are Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Source: Listenchampion Image source: Unsplash

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

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After the USA and Japan, Germany is the world’s most important location for medical technology companies. In 2019, the turnover of the medical technology industry in this country amounted to 33.3 billion euros (43.9 billion euros with micro-enterprises). Of this, 22 billion euros, or just under two-thirds, was generated abroad, while 11.3 billion euros, or a good third, was generated domestically. The medical technology sector provides almost 150,000 jobs. It is primarily characterized by small and medium-sized enterprises. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest medical technology companies in Germany.

Medium-sized and micro enterprises dominate

The above figures do not include the many micro-enterprises (companies with fewer than 20 employees) in the medical technology sector. There are around 13,000 of these with 60,000 employees. On average, there are four to five jobs per company. The medical technology micro-enterprises generated a turnover of 10.6 billion euros in 2019. That is a little more than 800,000 euros per company. Of the remaining just over 1400 medical technology companies, 93 percent belonged to the SME sector. The employment range here was between 20 and 250 employees.

Smaller companies also dominate in this segment. A good two thirds of the companies did not exceed the threshold of 50 employees. Only slightly more than 90 medical technology firms can be counted among the larger companies with more than 250 employees. If we look at all medical technology companies (including micro-enterprises), large medical technology companies account for a good 56 percent of industry sales in 2019, medium-sized companies for 19.5 percent and micro-enterprises for 24.1 percent. The strongest medical technology states in the Federal Republic are Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia.
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In our sector report of the German medical technology industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics sector, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry. In addition to in-vitro diagnostics, which is essential for testing for Covid-19 viruses, other areas of medical technology are also considered and analysed.

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North Rhine-Westphalia can call itself the leading logistics location in Germany. The most populous federal state with almost 18 million inhabitants is virtually predestined for logistics companies due to its geographical location, its economic power and its transport infrastructure. With Deutsche Post and Schenker AG, two logistics heavyweights have their headquarters in the Rhine and Ruhr region. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

Logistics hub for one third of the EU population

With the airports Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia has two important airports for the international air freight business. Cologne/Bonn is number 3 in Germany with an annual air freight volume of over 800,000 tons. The state also has around 720 kilometres of waterways and 120 inland ports with a good 115 million tonnes of goods handled annually. The port of Duisburg is the world’s largest inland port and Dortmund is home to Europe’s largest canal port. Nowhere in Germany is the motorway network as tightly knit as in North Rhine-Westphalia. Around 150 million people – a third of the EU population – live within a radius of 500 kilometres (a day’s distance by truck), which can be served by logistics companies from the state.

Some 24,000 logistics companies based in North Rhine-Westphalia generate about 67 billion euros in sales per year. The core logistics sector employs almost 350,000 people. If other logistics sectors are included, the figure is as high as 712,000. Deutsche Post in Bonn with its subsidiary DHL is the world’s leading logistics provider with a focus on CEP. The Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Schenker in Essen stands for the non-rail transport and logistics services of the DB Group. Another large logistics company is Rhenus at Dortmund Airport. Rhenus specialises in logistics services (contract logistics, port logistics, handling services). Otherwise, the logistics sector in North Rhine-Westphalia is strongly characterised by medium-sized companies.
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Silicon Valley is a household name, but only the initiated are familiar with the term MedTech Valley. Yet MedTech Valley is right on our doorstep, so to speak – in Germany’s southwest. Baden-Württemberg is a center of the MedTech industry in Germany and nowhere is the density of innovative companies in this field as high as in the Neckar-Alb region. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest medical technology companies in Germany.

Between Tübingen, Hechingen and Tuttlingen

More than 800 companies and over 50,000 employees make up the medtech sector in the state. They cover a broad spectrum of medical technology – from simple products such as bandages to high-tech and innovative systems. With an annual turnover of almost 14 billion euros, MedTech is one of the most important industries in Baden-Württemberg. The largest “revenue generators” are surgical instruments, therapeutic systems and devices as well as implants and exoprostheses.

In addition to big names such as Aesculap/B. Braun Melsungen, Bruker BioSpin or STRATEC Biomedical, the sector is organised on a very small scale. Over 70 percent of MedTech companies have fewer than 10 employees. MedTech Valley – this designation applies in particular to the Neckar-Alb region with Tübingen and Tuttlingen as well as Hechingen at its centre. This is where the medical technology cluster of Baden-Württemberg is located. Tuttlingen – the “city of healing knives” – is regarded as the German medical technology centre par excellence with over 500 local medtech companies. Hechingen has more than 70 medtech companies. The city’s largest employer, with 1,400 employees, is a Baxter International dialysis machine plant. Tübingen is involved in MedTech Valley primarily as a research location because of the university, the university hospitals and its scientific institutions.
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“In vitro” is Latin and means “in a glass”. In vitro diagnostics refers to procedures for medical laboratory testing. It is carried out with the aid of so-called in-vitro diagnostics. These are all instruments, apparatus, devices, systems, materials and substances that are used to examine laboratory samples. The image of the test tube immediately suggests itself. In fact, sample containers also belong to in-vitro diagnostics. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest medical technology companies in Germany.

In the beginning there was alchemy

The origins of in vitro diagnostics go far back into the past – to ancient Egypt. Even in the Middle Ages, comprehensive laboratory diagnosis was already taking place within the framework of so-called alchemy – often in a vain effort to produce gold or find the famous “philosopher’s stone”. From the 17th and 18th centuries at the latest, interest focused more and more on medical applications. Today, in vitro diagnostics is used to examine samples from the human body for physiological or pathological conditions, to detect abnormalities, to check tolerability or to monitor therapeutic measures.

There are numerous companies in Germany that deal with in vitro diagnostics. The manufacturers are usually small and medium-sized companies, often with fewer than 50 employees. One of the big players in the market is the Siemens subsidiary Siemens Healthineers. Here, in-vitro diagnostics takes place in the “Laboratory Diagnostics” business unit. Other large companies are also involved in in-vitro diagnostics – for example the chemical and pharmaceutical company Merck in Darmstadt (raw materials and equipment for in-vitro diagnostics manufacturers) or the Bosch subsidiary Bosch Healthcare Solutions in Waiblingen (among other things, provider of a universal platform for molecular laboratory diagnostics).
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Diagnostic imaging plays a central role in medical examinations where the object of examination is “not obvious”. Today, there is a wide range of medical devices designed for diagnostic imaging. In German hospitals, more than 13 million examinations with imaging procedures take place every year. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest medical technology companies in Germany.

In the beginning there was the X-ray machine

In general, imaging diagnostics can be understood as an apparatus-supported examination procedure that is based on image data of internal organs and structures. The aim is to detect pathological changes or the condition of the respective object of examination. Probably the oldest imaging procedure is X-ray diagnostics using X-rays, which was invented by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895. The first X-ray machines came onto the market as early as 1896.

Since then, medical technology in the field of imaging diagnostics has developed rapidly. Today, in addition to X-rays, there are a variety of methods for generating images (examples in parentheses). They are based on visible light (endoscopy), ultrasound (sonography), radionuclides (computer tomography), infrared light (diagnostic thermography), nuclear magnetic resonance (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) or impedance (electrical impedance tomography (EIT).

The world’s leading supplier of medical imaging equipment is Siemens Healthineers. Siemens Healthineers AG bundles the medical technology activities of the Siemens Group. It has around 54,000 employees and achieved sales of around €14.5 billion in 2020. Imaging processes are mainly located in the business unit “Diagnostic Imaging”. Siemens Healthineers covers virtually the entire spectrum of diagnostic imaging. Its world market share is just under a quarter. Other German manufacturers concentrate on specific segments of Diagnostic Imaging. KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG in Tuttlingen, for example, specializes in endoscopy.
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The common abbreviation “CEP” stands for “courier, express and parcel services” – a particularly important and dynamically developing segment in the logistics market. The e-commerce boom in recent years has contributed significantly to this. The market in Germany is dominated by a few large players who use a large number of smaller subcontractors. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

DHL & Co. dominate the market

According to the industry association BIEK (Bundesverband Paket- und Expresslogistik), 3.65 billion courier, express and parcel shipments were transported in Germany in 2019. The industry’s revenue increased by 4.4 percent this year to over €21.3 billion. B2C business grew particularly strongly, largely due to the success of e-commerce. Here, shipments increased by 8.6 percent in 2019. The business received an additional boost in the wake of the Corona-related lockdowns. Growth rates in 2020 and 2021 are also expected to be correspondingly high. In 2019, CEP services employed just under 245,000 people.

The market leader in parcel services is DHL as part of Deutsche Post Group. In terms of parcel volume, DHL’s market share was 48 percent in 2019. Number 2 was Hermes Europe, a subsidiary of the Otto Group with 18 percent share. It was followed by UPS (12 percent), DPD (10 percent), GLS (7 percent) and FedEx/TNT (6 percent). UPS is a US courier, express and parcel service provider operating worldwide. DPD belongs to the French group La Poste. The continental European activities of the British Royal Mail are bundled under the GLS brand. TNT is a Dutch subsidiary of the US courier and logistics company FedEx. In contrast to the parcel market, courier services also include many small companies with a regional or local focus.
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In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

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International Forwarding is the shipping and transport of goods across borders – a business served by internationally oriented freight forwarders. It has gained considerable importance in view of the globalization of goods flows. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

Transport and shipping even across continents

Sea and air transport play a major role in the international freight business. Land transport is used for shipments where there are no seas to cross and the distances remain manageable. Typically, a combination of different means of transport is used according to the respective demand. The “forwarder” covers the entire delivery route from the shipping point to the shipping destination – even across continents. Often suitable partners are used and corresponding partner networks are maintained. Special and hazardous goods transports are also made possible. In addition to the actual transport, many forwarders offer value-added services. Part of the transport service is the administrative handling of the transport. This concerns in particular documentation, customs clearance, taxation and insurance.

Germany’s leading provider in this area is the DHL Global Forwarding division within the Deutsche Post Group. It emerged from the former Danzas. DHL Global Forwarding transports goods by rail, road, air and sea. Under the DHL Freight brand, it operates a ground-based freight network covering Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Another major global forwarder is the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Schenker. It offers land transportation as well as ocean and air transportation worldwide as a freight forwarder. Schenker had about 76,000 employees in 2019. Air freight volumes reached just under 1.2 million tonnes, while sea freight volumes were worth around €2.3 billion.
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In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Market analysis logistics industry
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• List of the 100 largest medical technology companies in Germany

Location-based logistics comprises logistics services that are provided at fixed locations such as terminals, warehouses, transshipment points, etc. – including the associated value-added services. An important subarea is so-called intralogistics. It stands for logistical flows of goods and materials that take place within a plant or company premises and are related to the internal production of goods and services. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

Around a quarter of the German logistics market

This description alone makes it clear: location-based logistics is very complex and is often difficult to distinguish from other areas due to its interconnectedness. The segment represents about a quarter of the German logistics market. Typical logistics locations are sea and inland ports, air freight terminals, freight loading terminals at railway stations, warehouses and logistics halls, as well as logistics areas within company premises and factory buildings.

The two largest seaports in Germany are Hamburg and Bremen/Bremerhaven. Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is primarily responsible for port handling, container and transport logistics in the Port of Hamburg. In Bremen, Eurogate GmbH & Co. KGaA operates as a container terminal and logistics group (also at locations in Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg). Germany’s largest cargo airport by far is Frankfurt/Main. Here, FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services offers airline-independent cargo handling as a joint venture between WFS Worldwide Flight Services and airport operator Fraport AG.

Another important provider of services for location-based logistics is Rhenus Logistics SE & Co. KG. In addition to the contract logistics business segment, Rhenus also operates in the fields of port logistics (full-service provider in sea and inland ports) and
Intermodal (container handling and transport). The Deutsche Umschlaggesellschaft Schiene-Straße mbH (DUSS) subsidiary handles terminal logistics for German railways.
Source: Listenchampion Image source: Unsplash

In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Market analysis logistics industry
• List of +100 Renewable Energy Investors Europe
• List of +100 Renewable Energy Developers Europe
• List of the 100 largest medical technology companies in Germany

The land transport segment comprises the commercial transport of goods over land, i.e. by road, rail, inland waterways or pipelines (crude oil). Despite criticism due to possible environmental pollution, transport by truck is dominant in Germany. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

More and more truck transport – fewer and fewer haulage companies

In 2019, trucks accounted for 71.2 percent of the transport performance in German freight transport, rail reached 19.0 percent, inland waterways accounted for 7.3 percent, and long-distance pipelines 2.5 percent. Transport performance has grown steadily and was approximately 698,000 million tonne-kilometres in 2019 – over a third more than at the turn of the millennium. The share of truck traffic has also grown over time. The share of rail has also increased over time, but only slowly.

Land transport by road is primarily carried out by freight forwarders. There were just under 15,000 freight forwarders in Germany in 2019. In addition to a few “big players”, the market is primarily characterised by many small and medium-sized companies. The number of German freight forwarders has been declining for years. In 2009, there were still 16,300 companies. This development is due to fierce competition, especially competition from Germany’s Central and Eastern European neighbours.

The largest logistics service providers in Germany, such as DHL, Deutsche Bahn, Kühne + Nagel and Dachser, offer land transport as part of their logistics service portfolio. DHL is part of the Deutsche Post Group and is essentially a CEP service provider with other business segments. At Deutsche Bahn, land transport takes place within the framework of DB Cargo (rail) and Schenker (truck, etc.). Kühne + Nagel is a Swiss logistics and freight transport company. Dachser was originally a pure truck forwarder, but now covers many transport and logistics services.
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In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

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Contract logistics has gained enormous importance in the age of supply chain management. Cooperation with a comprehensively integrated logistics provider is a key success factor when service provision is shaped by supply chains with different players involved. This happens within the framework of contract logistics. This article is based on the unique Top 300 Logistics Companies Germany – List of the largest logistics companies.

Designed for strategic cooperation

Contract logistics is generally understood to be a long-term cooperation based on the division of labour between a goods manufacturer or trader and a logistics service provider. It is based on a corresponding contract (contract) and is designed as a partnership. Other typical characteristics of contract logistics are: the cooperation involves a considerable volume of business, the logistics service provider assumes central logistics functions within the supply or value chain and represents the link within the supply chain.

He thus assumes significant responsibility for the functioning of the supply chain. Contract logistics cooperation has the quality of a strategic partnership. It is always individually tailored to the needs and requirements of the partner. Turnover orders of half a million to one million euros per year are considered a critical threshold for contract logistics, but there are certainly contracts in the order of several hundred million euros per year.

The largest contract logistics company in Germany and worldwide is DHL Supply Chain, a division of Deutsche Post, which was created in 2005 through the acquisition of the British logistics company Exel. DHL Supply Chain has an annual turnover of over 14 billion euros and employs more than 145,000 people worldwide. Another major German player in the international contract logistics business is Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Schenker. In addition to land transport, sea freight and air freight, it also serves the contract logistics business segment.
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In our sector report on the German logistics industry, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the logistics industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Market analysis logistics industry
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• List of the 100 largest medical technology companies in Germany

Packaging is used in many areas where goods are transported. The packaging should enable optimal stowage, facilitate transport handling and protect transported goods from damage. Whereas in earlier times packaging was a manual process, today packaging technology is used for this purpose. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

Every third packaging machine from Germany

Packaging technology comprises technical units that perform essential functions in packaging processes. These can be semi-automatic or fully automatic packaging processes. In the case of semi-automatic packaging technology, manual operations are still required, whereas in the case of fully automatic packaging technology, the packaging process is carried out completely by machine.

A distinction is made between strapping devices and packaging machines. The – often semi-automatic – strapping tools are primarily used to secure pallets. Packaging machines take over the fast and safe packaging of goods. There is a large variety of types. It ranges from the simple film wrapping station to the complex packaging system, which completely handles loading or filling, cartoning and labelling. Many packaging machines are custom-made products that are developed and manufactured specifically according to customer requirements.

Germany is the world market leader in packaging machine manufacturing. Every third packaging machine on the globe comes from here. The industry consists of around 250, predominantly medium-sized companies, which generated sales of around 7.3 billion euros in 2019. The largest single foreign sales market is the USA (2019: 786 million euros), followed by China (2019. 451 million euros). Half of the exports (2019: approx. 3 billion euros) go to European countries. One of Germany’s leading manufacturers of packaging technology is Krones AG in Neutraubling, which focuses on beverage filling and packaging. Windmöller & Hölscher in Lengerich (Tecklenburger Land) specializes in extrusion, printing and processing machines for flexible packaging as well as bagging systems.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

Source: ResearchGermany – Mechanical Engineering Industry Report

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Strictly speaking, mining machinery and building materials machinery are two mechanical engineering segments. As “earth-related” industries, they are often considered together, and in some cases similar machines are used. Within the umbrella organization “Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA)” there are accordingly two trade associations: the “Mining Trade Association” and the “Construction and Building Material Machinery Trade Association”. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

Strongly export-driven business

The Mining Association represents the interests of companies in the fields of mining technology, processing technology including consulting, research and development related to mining technology. Members are about 150 mainly medium-sized companies representing more than 90 percent of the German industry’s turnover. Since the end of hard coal mining and with coal production in Germany coming to an end, the domestic market is only of secondary importance for the industry. About 95 percent of the sales are generated by exports in an annual order of magnitude of about 5 billion euros. Important customer countries are the USA, Australia and Russia, in Europe France and Great Britain.

The construction and building materials machinery sector is concerned with the manufacture of machines used in road and building construction. These include construction tractors, grading machines, concrete and mortar mixing machines, scraper and shovel loaders, concrete surface preparation machines, mortar and bitumen spreaders. The construction and building materials machinery manufacturers are predominantly medium-sized companies. There are about 230 suppliers throughout Germany. The annual turnover of the industry in recent years has been in the order of 12 to 15 billion euros, three quarters of which is accounted for by construction machinery. The export share is just under 80 percent, with around half of sales being generated in other European countries.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

Source: ResearchGermany – Mechanical Engineering Industry Report

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Conveyor technology deals with technical solutions for transporting unit loads in warehouses, logistics and traffic areas, in production and operating halls. Conveying technology includes, on the one hand, conveying equipment such as cranes, forklift trucks, driverless transport vehicles, automatic truck loading systems, etc., and, on the other hand, fixed technical equipment for unit load conveying such as roller conveyors, conveyor belts, belt bucket elevators, etc.. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

Germany – export world champion in materials handling technology

In addition to manufacturing the relevant materials handling equipment, the industry offers other services such as logistics software, automatic control systems, warehouse equipment, assembly, installation and repair. The German materials handling industry employed around 128,000 people in 2019 and generated a turnover of around €23 billion that year. The business is strongly export-oriented. In 2019, materials handling equipment was exported for around 14.8 billion euros. Germany is thus the largest conveyor technology exporter worldwide. The main customer countries are the USA, France and the Netherlands. In addition to a few large players, the industry is markedly medium-sized. Many companies have specialized in specific areas of materials handling technology.

In the field of so-called industrial trucks (forklifts, pallet trucks, order pickers, tractors), German manufacturers have a particularly strong international position. Number 2 on the world market is the Kion Group in Frankfurt/Main. Kion was created in 2006 as a spin-off from the Linde Group and is the world’s leading provider of automated material flows with supply chain and automation solutions. The company had around 36,000 employees and sales of €8.8 billion in 2019. Ranked third worldwide is Hamburg-based Jungheinrich AG. Jungheinrich’s product range includes material handling equipment (including forklift trucks, high-rack stackers, and tow tractors), shelving systems, warehousing systems, and warehouse management systems (WMS), as well as complementary services. The company generated more than €4 billion in net sales in 2019 with a good 18,000 employees.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

Source: ResearchGermany- Mechanical Engineering Industry Report

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Drive technology generally comprises technical systems that generate movement by means of power transmission. Companies that focus on drive technology are represented by the Drive Technology Association within the “Verband des Deutschen Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA)”. Its approximately 200 members represent around 80 percent of the German production of drive technology. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

Many medium-sized companies and some big players

Like other mechanical engineering sectors, the drive technology segment is strongly characterised by medium-sized companies. However, there are also some large players. It is a typical supplier industry. The industry supplies drive elements, gearboxes, electrical drive technology and linear technology. The fields of application for drive technology are broad and varied. They range from the automotive industry and medical technology to shipbuilding or the aerospace industry. In 2019, the industry achieved a total turnover of almost 19.6 billion euros.

Three major German driveline technology companies are ZF Friedrichshafen, the Schaeffler Group and Bosch Rexroth. ZF Friedrichshafen is one of the world’s leading companies in driveline and chassis technology. The focus is on automotive supplies, but there is also an Industrial Technology division. ZF Friedrichshafen generated global sales of €36.5 billion in 2019 with around 160,000 employees. The Schaeffler Group produces clutch systems, transmission components, camshaft phasing units, bearings, and linear technology components for the automotive and mechanical engineering industries under the INA, FAG, and LuK brands (2020 revenue: €12.6 billion, 83,000 employees). Bosch Rexroth is a 100 percent subsidiary of the Bosch Group and serves the technology sectors of electric drives and controls, industrial and mobile hydraulics, linear and assembly technology. Bosch Rexroth had approximately 31,000 employees in 2019 and generated 6.2 billion euros in sales.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

Source: ResearchGermany – Mechanical Engineering Industry Report

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In earlier times, tools were typically used by hand. It was a matter of genuine “handicraft”. However, since the industrial revolution in the 19th century at the latest, tool use has been predominantly mechanical – by means of appropriate machine tools. Today, they take over many functions in manufacturing processes in industrial production and machining. German machine tool builders have a good reputation in the world. This article is based on the unique List of the 200 largest mechanical engineering companies in Germany.

German machine tool industry – strongly export-oriented

There is a great variety of machine tools and different ways of systematizing them. A common classification is that into forming, (cutting) machining and removing machines. In a broader sense, forming, joining and cutting machines are also included. Cutting machines account for about two thirds of the production value of machine tools. This category includes lathes, milling machines, drilling machines, planing machines, sawing machines and grinding machines. Sophisticated electronic control technology is used in modern machine tools. In the digital age, intelligent networking within the framework of the “Internet of Things” is playing an increasingly important role.

According to the industry association VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), machine tools with a production value of 12.6 billion euros were manufactured in Germany in 2019, of which 9.6 billion euros were accounted for by cutting and ablative machines. Machines with a value of 10.0 billion euros were exported, of which a combined 30 percent went to the USA and China. Machine tool imports amounted to 3.8 billion euros. The main supplier countries here are Switzerland, Japan and Italy with a combined share of 46 percent. By far the largest German machine tool manufacturer is the Trumpf Group in Ditzingen near Stuttgart, followed by DMG Mori AG in Bielefeld and Schuler AG in Göppingen.

In our industry report of the German mechanical engineering industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the mechanical engineering industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the sector.

Source: ResearchGermany – Mechanical Engineering Industry Report

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Inorganic chemistry refers to the chemistry of – with few exceptions – carbon-free compounds. These include above all metals, salts and minerals, acids and bases. Many inorganic processes produce gases. Inorganic chemistry offers a wide range of applications: in semiconductor chemistry, mineralogy, metallurgy (iron and steel production), cement production, mortar and concrete bonding, and ceramics production. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Chemical raw materials for industrial production

Basic inorganic chemicals are industrially produced inorganic chemicals on a large scale that serve as starting raw materials for other industrial products. Important inorganic basic chemicals are chlorine, hydrogen, oxygen, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide. The following are the German production figures for these basic chemicals in 2019: chlorine (3.7 million tonnes), hydrogen (4.5 million cubic metres), oxygen (6 million cubic metres), hydrochloric acid (1.8 million tonnes), sulphuric acid (3.1 million tonnes) and sodium hydroxide (3.2 million tonnes).

Probably the most important producer of inorganic chemicals in Germany is BASF. Production and marketing are located there in the Monomers division. In 2019, the division achieved sales of 5.4 billion euros. Sales are worldwide with a focus on Europe (43 percent share). Other important sales regions: Asia/Pacific and North America. The main customers are the chemical and plastics industries and the consumer goods industry. many smaller chemical companies also supply inorganic basic chemicals for industrial purposes.

Another major player in the business is the Linde Group – a company with German origins, now based in Dublin and managed from Guildford in the UK. Linde is a leading international producer of industrial gases – both organic and inorganic compounds. The gas business represents about 40 percent of Linde’s sales, which reached $28.2 billion in 2019.

This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our German chemical industry report, you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the chemical industry’s locations and clusters, key financial figures, as well as insights into the industry’s gender distribution and sustainability efforts.

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Petrochemistry deals with the production of chemical products from natural gas and petroleum fractions. An important role in petrochemistry plays naphtha – crude gasoline – as a basic material. Therefore, many petrochemical plants are located near or in the area of refineries. Derivatives are chemical compounds derived from and similar to basic petrochemical substances. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Created in the 1940s for synthetic production

The petrochemical industry is relatively young. It developed in the 1940s, when – partly due to the war – the demand for synthetic materials as a substitute for scarce and expensive natural products such as natural rubber grew by leaps and bounds. Petrochemicals often go through several conversion processes before being used in end products. The health, hygiene, housing and food sectors offer thousands of potential applications. But petrochemicals are also essential for fuel production and plastics manufacturing.

Important primary petrochemical products are ethylene, propylene, benzene, butadiene and toluene. In 2019, Germany produced 4.3 million tonnes of ethylene, 3.7 million tonnes of propylene, 1.8 million tonnes of benzene, 734,000 tonnes of butadiene and 688,000 tonnes of toluene. Petrochemical products account for over 90 percent of organic chemical production in this country.

Gelsenkirchen is a center of the German petrochemical industry. Ruhr Oel GmbH, a joint venture between BP and the Russian oil company Rosneft, produces petrochemicals here at the BP Gelsenkirchen refinery. In addition to Gelsenkirchen, other important refinery sites with petrochemical production are: Cologne/Wesseling, Lingen/Ems, Karlsruhe, Leuna, Schwedt an der Oder, Hamburg and several small sites in Bavaria (Ingolstadt, Neustadt, Vohburg, Burghausen). BASF in Ludwigshafen has its own petrochemical division, mainly for internal supply, but also for external customers.

This article is based partly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and partly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our industry report of the German chemical sector you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

Source: ResearchGermany – Chemistry Market Analyses Image source: Unsplash

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Polymers are chemical substances consisting of macromolecules. They play a major role in the production of plastics. Well-known polymer compounds are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (Styrofoam), polyester and polymethyl methacrylate (Plexiglas) – just a few examples from a large variety of polymers. This article is based on the unique Top 600 Chemical Companies Germany – List of the largest chemical companies.

Two German polymer greats

Polymers serve as basic plastic products. The range of practical applications is huge. It ranges from films and packaging to car parts, furniture and appliance housings to flooring and cladding. There are hardly any manufacturing sectors in which polymer-based plastics cannot be used.

Polymer production in Germany is dominated by two major players: Covestro AG in Leverkusen and BASF AG in Ludwigshafen. Covestro used to be part of Bayer and was first called Bayer Polymers, then Bayer MaterialScience. In 2014, this business was spun off and has been operating on the market as an independent company under the name Covestro since 2015. The business is divided into the Polyurethanes (PUR), Polycarbonates (PCS) and Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties (CAS) divisions. Covestro achieved sales of €10.7 billion in 2020 with more than 16,000 employees at 30 sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

At BASF, polymer manufacturing is just one part of the production program. It is primarily relevant for the Materials and Industrial Solutions business segments. These segments supply precursors for plastics processing in the automotive, plastics and electronics industries, as well as for the transportation, construction and consumer goods industries. BASF Performance Polymers in Rudolstadt produces special polymers for various industries.

This article is based firstly on our list of the 600 largest chemical companies in Germany and secondly on our Chemical Industry Report. In our Chemical Industry Report of the German chemical industry you will find detailed information on areas of activity, an overview of the locations and clusters of the chemical industry, key financial figures as well as insights into the gender distribution and sustainability efforts of the industry.

Source: ResearchGermany – Chemistry Market Analysis Image source: Unsplash

You might like these lists of biggest companies and investors:

• Chemistry Market Analysis
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