At the end of May this year, 5.2 million people worked in local manufacturing units with 50 or more employees in Germany, up 0.6 percent compared to the end of May 2012 and stable compared to the end of April this year. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on the basis of provisional results, as of May 31 this year on year-on-year basis particularly strong employment figures were seen in the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts manufacturing sector with 1.8 percent growth, and in the mechanical engineering sector with 1.6 percent growth.
As of May 31 of the current year, the number of employees in the production of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts in Germany remained stable compared to the end of the previous month at 751,000 persons. However, 240,000 persons worked in metal production and processing in Germany at the end of May this year, unchanged month on month and down one percent compared to the end of May of the previous year. Employment in the manufacture of metal products in Germany rose 0.7 percent year on year to 499,000 persons by the end of May this year, down 1,000 persons compared to the end of April this year.