ZCZC
BCN-23
GERMANY-ECONOMY-CHEMICALS-VCI
Industrial weakness saps German chemical makers in Q1
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, May 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Weaker manufacturing output in
Germany and worldwide weighed on German chemical firms in the first quarter,
the VCI industry federation said Wednesday, confirming expectations for
worsening performance in 2019.
German chemical and pharmaceutical makers reported production down 6.0
percent year-on-year and revenues down 3.8 percent between January and March,
at 48.3 billion euros ($54.1 billion), the VCI said.
Revenues were also lower than in the fourth quarter of 2018 — when the
German economy narrowly avoided a technical recession, or two successive
quarters of negative growth.
Falling prices counteracted a quarter-on-quarter increase in production,
the VCI said.
“In Germany, demand for chemicals was weak as client industries throttled
production” in the first quarter, the federation found.
“Abroad, there was a similar picture in the sector, since global industry
was marking time.”
Chemicals are Germany’s third-largest industrial sector, employing 462,500
people.
Many member companies’ products are inputs for other industries, making
chemicals firms sensitive to changing conditions in manufacturing.
GDP growth data released earlier Wednesday showed the German economy
returned to growth in the first quarter, adding 0.4 percent to gross domestic
product.
But construction and consumer spending accounted for much of the rebound,
while industry continued to suffer from global trade tensions.
Looking ahead to the full year, the VCI expects chemical production to
fall 3.5 percent compared with 2018, while slightly higher prices limit the
drop in revenue to 2.5 percent, down to around 198 billion euros.
BSS/AFP/HR/1420