In November 2008 the German construction industry suffered a major drop in incoming orders. The number of orders received by businesses employing at least 20 people fell by 17.4% in real terms as compared to November 2007. In the field of structural engineering, demand fell by 2.0% and in civil engineering by 30.1%. Comparing the periods from January to November 2008 with the same period in 2007, the number of incoming orders decreased by 3.8%. Currently, an improvement of this situation in not in sight.
Businesses in the industry of structural and civil engineering employed about 710,000 people at the end of November last year which was 13,000 people less than one year earlier (-1.8%). Turnover generated by these businesses amounted to about 8.4 billion Euros in November 2008 (+0.1% as compared to November 2007).
Total turnover generated in the period from January to November 2008 amounted to about 79 billion Euros which was a plus of 6.4% in comparison with the respective period in 2007. The number of employees in this industry fell by 1.1%. 