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Economy attains pre-crisis level
AMA quarterly poll documents stabilized turnover with sensor and measuring technology
Projected to the sensor industry as a whole, the poll shows that the turnover in the first quarter of 2010 reached the level of the third quarter of 2008. A slight increase is also expected for the next quarter.
This is based on the results of the latest quarterly poll by the AMA Association for Sensor Technology on the economic situation of the sensor and measuring industry in the German-speaking countries. Participating in the poll were 99 AMA member enterprises that represent more than 10 percent of the sensor industry.
After the drastic drop in turnover during the second half of 2008 and in the year 2009, the sensor industry was at its lowest level in the second quarter of 2009 when it lost 25 percent of its turnover. During the subsequent three quarters turnover was again on the increase - and thus it seems the worst has been weathered.
The first quarter of 2010 brought a four percent higher turnover than the third quarter of 2008 when the drop in turnover due to the crises started. For the second quarter of 2010, the sensor industry expects a further increase of about three percent.
The development of short-time work also indicates recuperation. To cope with the lower demand due to the crisis, the sensor industry had to reduce employment by about three percent in 2009, increasing short-time by the same degree. At the apex of the crises, short-work amounted to 47 percent of the workplaces. Since the fourth quarter, these figures are also on the rise and in the first quarter of 2010 attained 11 percent.
Dr. Thomas Simmons, managing director of the AMA Association, stated: "The results of this poll only provides a statistic average of all the feedback. Different sectors of our industry have been impacted to a different degree of course. Time and intensity of the impact differ according to the purchasing industry. We hope that the currently unstable situation of our overall economy will be consolidated."
The sensor and measuring technology is a key technology for all sectors of the industry, for product innovation, functionality, for R&D, as well as for production and quality assurance. It is a central component of most technical products in all areas of application from domestic appliances and consumer products and from motor vehicles and industrial equipment to environmental protection and the life sciences. Therefore, the economic situation of the sensor industry is a good barometer for the entire economy to which it can be applied with minor qualifications.
Download: Press Information, Turnover, Short Time
