Selling in Germany, beyond the recession

Economy Minister Robert Habeck had said this when speaking about the recession in Germany this 2023: “We are coming out of the crisis more slowly than we thought.”.

Yet signs of recovery have been seen as early as the third quarter of 2023: Germany's economy is expected to recover a 1.3% of 2024 growth, a figure that confirms the country's robust economy as the first trading partner for Italian exports. 

Selling in Germany, an opportunity that knows no setbacks

The numbers for Made in Italy exports to Germany confirm steadily growing values, as reported by the’Economic Observatory of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..

Indeed, in 2023 theI export volume reached 77.5 billion, registering an increase of 15.8%.

Which sectors are most affected? Of course, the industrial ones, such as steel and chemical-pharmaceuticals. In particular, it is metal products that are most widely conveyed, coming to account for as much as 20.2% of Italy's global exports.

Industrial tools and machinery followed, preceding transportation equipment and automotive. 

We then find other areas of production such as the food and beverage industry. Conversely, the pharmaceutical chemical industry and the fashion and apparel industry are tied.  

What are the predictions for the future?

At the expense of the recession period, sell in Germany will remain an attractive option for many Italian companies.

Germany will mainly import products related to transportation equipment, worth more than 10 billion. Demand for electrical appliances will also grow as a result of increased demand for goods related to the energy transition brought about by Russia's power and gas blockade.

Exports will continue to grow in other areas as well, demonstrating the strength of Made in Italy in Germany, which knows no crisis. Among these, we always find the 3Fs, namely Furniture, Fashion, Food.

The importance of Lean Management for German manufacturing

What is meant when we talk about Lean Management? This term is used to refer to “lean business management,” or that management philosophy that interprets and puts into practice the principles dictated by the Toyota Production System, with the aim of making production increasingly efficient and better able to meet customer needs while minimizing waste.

Germany has long adopted Lean Management solutions, albeit revised according to its own production models and a different conception of work, also influenced by academic positions and unions that have always been very strong in the nation.

This has resulted in the introduction of its own concept of Lean Management, different from Japan's, which nonetheless plays an important role in manufacturing processes and assists the emergence of Industry 4.0, or the increasingly important entry of digital technologies into industry, particularly manufacturing.

The advent of Industry 4.0 in Germany

The term “Industrie 4.0” was coined during the 2011 Hanover Fair to announce the Zukunftsprojekt Industrie 4.0, a process that decreed the massive introduction of digital into German manufacturing realities.

The activities related to this project were the result of the many investments intended to enhance German manufacturing first and foremost, taking full advantage of the latest technologies.

The German government has taken it upon itself to incentivize digitization processes, and starting in 2013 “industry of the future” began to be a concrete fact in the country, which has since been harnessing resources and strategies aimed at reaping every possible benefit from digital innovation.

This is precisely why, even in times of recession, Germany is a country capable of responding adequately to the difficulties of a specific historical moment and maintaining its role as a primary economic interlocutor for our country.

An interlocutor not to be underestimated

There are many products that can achieve excellent results in Germany and Octagona can help you with this by decisively expanding their brand.

Selling in Germany can also be an attractive option for your business: contact us to get all the information on what we can do for you and your business.