The Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie e.V. (GKV), the umbrella organisation of the plastics processing industry in Germany, could actually celebrate a pleasing result with an annual turnover of 78 billion euros for 2022. However, the association is concerned about high energy prices.
At its annual press conference in Frankfurt am Main, the Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie e.V. (GKV) took stock of the industry's development over the past year. The plastics processing industry in Germany increased its turnover to more than 78 billion euros in 2022. Despite a further increase in sales, many companies in the sector are concerned about declining earnings, as many companies have only been able to pass on the increased costs to customers to a limited extent or not at all.
Price brake does not help
„The future of plastics processing companies in Germany stands and falls with the ability to pass on costs to customers. In view of the dramatic price increases for electricity and gas, however, there are clear doubts as to whether this will also be possible this year,“ says GKV President Dr Helen Fürst. The GKV is calling on the federal government to ease the burden of energy costs. According to the GKV, the price brakes for electricity and gas agreed in December 2022 would not help many SMEs.
„If the cost situation does not improve in 2023, the consequences will be unavoidable,“ continued GKV President Fürst. These included job cuts, short-time working and the relocation of production abroad. The inadequate supply of skilled labour and uncertainty about future legal framework conditions continued to weigh on the sector's economic development.
Source: SHI
