Nickel in Germany
- In Germany the total value added created by the direct nickel industry, ‘first use’ industries and
intermediates, and product manufacturers that are dependent on nickel is estimated at Euro 11 billion
annually.
Nickel in Germany Value-added
(Euro Million)Employment Direct nickel industry/recycling 500 3,500 “First Use” 2,000 27,500 Intermediaries 1,000 24,000 “End Use” 7,000 130,000 Total 11,000 185,000 - The jobs of 185,000 German workers are “dependent” on nickel. This number includes the direct nickel
industry, ‘first use’ industries and intermediaries and 60,000 jobs created through income and supplier
multiplier effect.
- Germany is the third largest nickel user in the world after the USA and Japan, and the largest user in
Europe. In 2002 it used 165,000 tonnes, which represents 23% of total EU use. Recycled nickel accounts for
35% of total usage.
- Technological advancement over the past 20 years has resulted in many new uses for nickel and demand in
Germany is currently growing at 3-5% per annum.
- Stainless steel production accounts for two thirds of all nickel sales. Nickel is a critical ‘enabling
technology’ providing important benefits to users of stainless steel such as corrosion resistance,
formability and weldability.
- European net exports of stainless steel are in excess of 1.5 million tonnes and are worth in excess of Euro 3 billion per annum.
There are critical applications of nickel or nickel containing alloys that significantly
transform either the production process or the end product being manufactured in many important end products.
This transformation cannot be achieved in any other way or only through substantial reduction in performance
of the product or the production process. These products are “nickel dependant” and include such items as jet
engines and turbines, process plant in key industries including food and drink processing, oil and gas
production, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, commercial catering equipment, medical and dental instruments
and the CD/DVD pressing market.
- These “nickel dependent” markets account for around Euro 7 billion in value-added in Germany per annum, and employ around 90,000 people. In addition, they create a further 40,000 jobs in the economy through income and supplier “multiplier” effects.
Notes
In 2003 ENiG commissioned The Weinberg Group to conduct a comprehensive independent European socio economic impact analysis for the Nickel Industry. The purpose of the study is to gain a detailed and accurate understanding of the importance of the nickel industry to the economic prosperity of Member States. The full report is available to interested parties and a series of summarised fact sheets has been produced. This glossary provides explanations for commonly used terms within the report and fact sheets.
Direct industry: the primary European (mining, refining) nickel industry, the importation of raw nickel, the importation and trading of finished products, transportation of nickel and recycling (this includes collectors, processors and scrap dealers)
End use: all end use industry segments where nickel is an essential component in either the production process or the end product itself. It is considered essential if the product would not perform either at all or as well without nickel or where exclusion of nickel would increase the price significantly
First use: industries where nickel is alloyed to produce stainless steel, and alloy steels and nonferrous alloys plus foundry and plating
Nickel dependent products: Products where a nickel containing alloy significantly transforms either the process or end product and where this effect cannot be achieved in any other way or, if an alternative is used, performance is significantly reduced, the process would be substantially disadvantaged or the price would be significantly higher
Supplier “multiplier” effect: the effect by which, for each expenditure on goods or services by companies and people in the nickel industry, additional jobs are created
Value-added: the amount by which the value of an article is increased at each stage of its production, excluding the initial cost of the nickel. Expressed another way, value added is the turnover of companies in the nickel and nickel using industries less imported raw material costs.
The full Weinberg report on the socio-economic impact of the nickel industry in the EU is available on request.
For further information contact:
Rosemarie Evans
Telephone: 44 1527 584777
revans@nickelinstitute.org
Paola Di Discordia
Téléphone : 32 2 775 6313
didiscordia@euronickel.org
