At the end of January this year, 242,000 persons worked in metal production and processing in Germany. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on the basis of provisional results, the figure was three percent more than at the end of January 2011. The number of hours worked in January this year in metal production in Germany increased by 6.2 percent from a year earlier, reaching 32 million, while the earnings (total gross wages and salaries) amounted to €890 million, increasing by 5.8 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, as of the end of January, employment in metal product fabrication in Germany totaled 489,000 persons, rising by 5.7 percent year on year, while the number of hours worked in January amounted to 66 million, up 9.3 percent, and earnings came to €1.5 billion, increasing by 8.5 percent, all compared to January 2011.