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Business Daily: German manufacturing 

19/08/2011

German manufacturing 

BBC World Service - Business Daily, German manufacturing

How healthy is the German economy? Are it's manufacturers worried about China?

America and the rest of Europe look enviously at Germany's economy. But this week there have been slow growth figures. Is the economy healthy? What do manufacturers think about competing with China?

Economies in North America and elsewhere in Europe have been looking with some envy at Germany's economic record. It has strong manufacturing and low levels of debt. But this week there have been slow growth figures and the stock market there has tumbled. Professor Christian Dreger from the German Institute for Economic Research has an overview. 
But if economy is to remain strong in the long-term, it will be led by manufacturing and exports. Stephen Evans spoke to three manufacturers. Dr Wolfgang Melzer is Managing Director of crane maker, Kirow Ardelt. Manfred Urban is Chief Executive of MMG, Mecklenburger Metallguss, the manufacturer of ship propellors for the world's biggest cargo vessels. And Karl Schulze is Chief Executive of Bechstein pianos. How do these manufacturers feel about competing with China, and the health of the Euro?

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