The number of employees working in the German processing industry is still rising. According to the Federal Statistical Office, businesses with at least 50 employees provided work to about 5.4 million people as of end of September. This is an increase by 122,300 people or 2.3% as compared to September 2007. Most important employers were mechanical engineering (+5.5%) and the metal processing industry (+4.2%). In the chemical industry employment remained unchanged (+0.0%).
The Manufacturers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle components employed 2.7% more people. The producers of energy generating plants and similar devices increased their number of employees by 2.4%.
The number of hours worked in September 2008 increased by 7.3% to 722 million as compared to September 2007. However, it has to be taken into account that in September this year there were two more working days compared to September last year. Gross wages and salaries paid in the German processing industry amounted to 17.8 billion Euros which is an increase by 4.6% with regard to September 2007. 