Erfurt (dpa/th) - Thuringia's industry achieved a strong increase in sales last year, also due to the significant price increase for many products and services. The revenue of companies with at least 50 employees rose by 14.7 percent to around 37.9 billion euros, as reported by the State Statistical Office in Erfurt on Wednesday. If the price increase is factored out, the increase was only 2.3 percent - but with three working days less than 2021.
Thuringia's industry generated around 37 percent of its sales abroad, around 14.1 billion euros. The export share of sales remained roughly constant compared to 2021.
Almost all sectors came through the economically difficult year 2022 well - however, the automotive industry, which is important for Thuringia, recorded losses, as did furniture manufacturers and service providers who repair or install machines.
In the automotive industry, which is dominated by supplier companies in Thuringia, sales fell by 3.1 percent in real terms, while furniture manufacturers fell by as much as 14.6 percent. The metal industry recorded strong growth rates with real 19.2 percent and the manufacturers of chemical products with price-adjusted 8.5 percent.
Last year, industry employed an average of 143,500 people, around 2,400 more than in the severe Corona year 2021. The number of industrial companies with 50 and more employees was relatively constant at 813.
