This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Alemania reivindica su liderazgo en la industria del plástico

As a result of the losses during this 2009, the German Federation of industry of plastic drawn up a manifesto to demand action

Germany claims its leadership in the plastics industry

Drafting PU07/07/2009

After a certain decline in the sector of the German plastic, German plastics industry Federation (WVK, by its German acronym) will fight to maintain and improve the status of the German plastics industry. With sales of more than 84,000 million euros and a workforce of some 394,000 workers of more than 3,700 companies in the plastics industry is one of the most important sectors of the German economy: represents approximately 6% of the total of the industry in the country.

The founding members of the German Federation of the plastics industry (WVK) are Plastics Europe Deutschland, the transformer Association of German plastic (GKV), Association of manufacturers of machinery for plastics and rubber within the German engineering Federation (VDMA) and the BKVPlatform for the recovery of plastics.

The Mission of the WVK is to raise awareness of the German plastics industry, constituted by the manufacturers of plastic, transformers and machine manufacturers, to define common positions and promote, especially at the moment, the interests of the entire industry.

In the first quarter of 2009, the German manufacturers of plastic saw its 35.5% compared with the previous year turnover fell.

The founder of the WVK, Reinhard Proske says: "the German plastics industry is the number one in Europe." This is the most important objective of the WVK for German industry. "We want to act as spokesmen of the whole industrial chain of plastics".

The activities of the Federation are concentrated in the areas of energy and resource efficiency, environment and protection of the consumer, as well as innovation and training. More than 90% of the industrial companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, that is why the Federation believed crucial to enhance them and promote them.

The WVK is a member of the Federation of German industry (BDI), which represent the interests of the sector.

The activities of the Federation are concentrated in the areas of energy and resource efficiency, environment and protection of the consumer, as well as innovation and training.

Holding the 'shower'

In the first quarter of 2009, the German manufacturers of plastic saw as he lowered his billing 35.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. With 36.1%, domestic sales dropped more than foreign ones. The production index has fallen by 31.4%. Günter Hilken, WVK President and member of the Association of Plastics Europe in Germany, believes that plastics have suffered enough as a result of the economic problems resulting from the crisis, but in 2010 expect that everything will be improved.

In the same period, the transformers of plastic have been as its business has fallen by 19.8%. Foreign and domestic sales have fallen by 23.9% to 17.2%, respectively. In addition, the production index has fallen a 19.5%.

Machinery for plastics and rubber manufacturers have also had losses, namely 27%. Here the foreign sales have fallen by 29%, rather than the national, 23 per cent. Jan-Udo Kreyenborg, President of the Association of machinery for plastics and rubber within the German Federation of engineers (VDMA), believes that German exporters of machinery for most important plastics in the world have fought hard in the sudden fall of markets and expect to continue to do so.

Euromold 2008, Frankfurt.

Demand action

As it has already happened in several sectors, the German Federation of the industry of the plastic has presented a manifesto about 25 pages to the proximity of the German general election, to be held next September.

With this document the Federation requires politicians his vision of Germany as a Centre for the industry. The Association appealed to the legislation to create a series of conditions to make the country again more attractive in terms of investment. This document calls for less bureaucracy, a different regulation and tax incentives for research and development, among other measures.

The document was drafted by the members of the associations of Plastics Europe Deutschland, the German Association of plastics transformers (GKV) and the Association of manufacturers of machinery within the Federation of German engineering (VDMA). The document was delivered to politicians of different parties which represent Germany in the Federal Parliament.