According to the industry association ZVE I, in June 2018 alone, German electrical and electronic exports were 3.8% above last year at €17.5 billion. Over the first six months as a whole, the sector set a new record with exports 4.3% above the same period in 2017. “This was the first time ever that the €100 billion mark was exceeded within a six-month period,” notes ZVEI’s chief economist Dr. Andreas Gontermann.

The sector’s exports to industrial countries increased by 3.2% in the first six month to €66.0 billion, in emerging countries by 6.5% to €35.7 billion. The main importers were China (€10.2 billion, up 12.2%), the United States (€8.5 billion, down 0.9%), and France (€6.2 billion, up 2.0%). According to the ZVEI’s calculations, the global electrical and electronics market grew in 2017 by 6% to €4.223 billion. The largest market segments in the world are electronic components (€990 billion), information and communication technology (€852 billion), and automation (€522 billion). For electronic components, growth rates of 6% and 4% are forecast for 2018 and 2019 respectively, 4.5% and 3.5% for ICT, and 5% and 4% for automation.