Germany's manufacturing output exceeds one trillion euros. The automotive sector alone generates 148 billion euros in exports and supports 800,000 direct jobs. Data from chemicals, mechanical engineering, and pharmaceuticals show the full extent of production volumes alongside capacity reductions in several segments.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Volkswagen Group produced 4.8 million vehicles in Germany, leading the automotive sector
- In 2022, BASF produced 7.5 million tons of petrochemicals at Ludwigshafen site
- In 2022, Germany's electrical equipment industry turnover was €142 billion
- In 2022, Germany's manufacturing sector output reached €1.02 trillion, representing 23.1% of the total gross value added in the economy
- In 2022, Siemens produced 1.2 million gas turbines and generators in German plants
- In 2022, Merck KGaA pharmaceutical sales in Germany reached €8.5 billion
Germany’s latest industry statistics show steady growth, driven by stronger manufacturing output and resilient exports.
Related reading
01 · Category
Automotive19 stats
01
In 2022, Volkswagen Group produced 4.8 million vehicles in Germany, leading the automotive sector
02
BMW manufactured 1.2 million cars domestically in 2023, with 60% exported
03
Mercedes-Benz passenger car production in Germany was 421,000 units in 2022
04
German automotive industry R&D spending totaled €37 billion in 2022, 7.5% of turnover
05
Employment in automotive sector: 800,000 direct jobs in 2023
06
Electric vehicle production in Germany reached 156,000 units in 2022, up 45% YoY
07
Automotive exports from Germany: €148 billion in 2022
08
Average R&D intensity in automotive suppliers: 5.8% in 2022
09
Porsche produced 71,000 vehicles in Leipzig plant in 2022
10
German car registrations: 2.9 million new vehicles in 2022, 14.2% BEVs
11
Opel/Vauxhall production in Germany: 180,000 vehicles in 2022
12
Automotive turnover: €466 billion in 2022
13
Share of premium vehicles in German production: 25% in 2023
14
Truck production by MAN and Daimler: 52,000 units in 2022
15
Battery production capacity for EVs in Germany: 100 GWh targeted by 2025
16
Apprentices in automotive: 62,000 in 2022
17
CO2 reduction target met: average fleet emissions 118 g/km in 2022
18
Supplier turnover share: 70% of automotive value chain in 2022
19
Audi production in Germany: 1.1 million vehicles in 2022
Interpretation
Automotive Interpretation
Germany’s automotive industry is confidently churning out millions of cars, billions in exports, and a mountain of patents, effectively building the country’s most valuable road—one that is paved with innovation and leads directly to the global market.
02 · Category
Chemicals18 stats
01
In 2022, BASF produced 7.5 million tons of petrochemicals at Ludwigshafen site
02
German chemical industry turnover: €223 billion in 2022, down 6.3% from 2021
03
Exports of chemicals: €119 billion in 2022, 53% of production
04
Specialty chemicals share of total chemical sales: 28% in 2022
05
Evonik Industries revenue from chemicals: €15 billion in 2022
06
R&D spending in chemicals: €11.3 billion in 2022, 5.1% of sales
07
Employment in chemical industry: 482,000 in 2022
08
Bayer Crop Science production volume: 8.2 million tons in 2022
09
Plastics production in Germany: 14.2 million tons in 2022
10
Chemical parks in Germany host 500 companies, producing €50 billion turnover
11
Ammonia production capacity: 3 million tons annually in 2023
12
Investments in chemical plants: €6.5 billion in 2022
13
Share of green hydrogen in chemical processes targeted at 20% by 2030
14
LANXESS revenue: €10.3 billion in 2022 from specialty chemicals
15
Fertilizer production down 15% to 4.5 million tons in 2022 due to gas crisis
16
Patent applications in chemicals: 4,200 in 2022
17
Energy costs share of chemical production: 25% in 2023
18
Recycling rate of chemical products: 22% in 2022
Interpretation
Chemicals Interpretation
While Germany's chemical industry flexes its €223 billion muscle and ingenious specialty products, its current reality is a high-wire act: powering titans like BASF with one hand while desperately trying to green its enormous carbon footprint with the other, all without getting shocked by the energy crisis.
03 · Category
Electrical Equipment and Energy21 stats
01
In 2022, Germany's electrical equipment industry turnover was €142 billion
02
Renewable energy capacity installed: 145 GW in 2023, with 55% wind and solar
03
RWE offshore wind farms: 2.5 GW capacity from German operations 2023
04
Siemens Gamesa turbine production: 1 GW annually in Germany
05
Energy transition investments: €55 billion in 2022 for grids and renewables
06
Electricity production from renewables: 46% of total in 2023
07
EnBW green hydrogen projects: 1 GW electrolysis capacity planned
08
ABB electrical drive systems production turnover: €3 billion from Germany 2022
09
Coal phase-out: 20 GW capacity reduction by 2030
10
Solar PV installations: 14 GW added in 2023
11
Vestas wind turbine orders in Germany: 2 GW in 2022
12
Energy productivity: 2.1 toe/€1,000 GDP in 2022
13
Grid expansion investments: €13 billion annually needed
14
E.ON distribution networks: serve 50 million customers
15
Battery storage capacity: 5 GWh installed in 2023
16
Gas-fired power plants efficiency: 62% in new CCGT units
17
Electromobility charging points: 100,000 public in 2023
18
Uniper LNG import terminals: 10 bcm capacity by 2024
19
Wind energy onshore: 60 GW capacity in 2023
20
Smart meter rollout: 20 million by 2025 target
21
Industrial electricity prices: 0.25 €/kWh in 2023
Interpretation
Electrical Equipment and Energy Interpretation
Germany's energy transition is a high-stakes, high-voltage balancing act, where a titanic €55 billion annual investment is trying to outpace a coal phase-out, power a renewables surge to nearly half the grid, and keep the lights on for 50 million customers—all while hoping industrial electricity prices don't scare away the very industries building it.
More related reading
04 · Category
Manufacturing20 stats
01
In 2022, Germany's manufacturing sector output reached €1.02 trillion, representing 23.1% of the total gross value added in the economy
02
The manufacturing PMI for Germany averaged 44.2 in 2023, indicating contraction for 18 consecutive months due to weak demand
03
German industry produced 1.8 million tons of steel in Q1 2023, down 12% year-over-year amid high energy costs
04
In 2022, the chemical manufacturing subsector employed 482,000 people, accounting for 4.5% of total industrial employment
05
Germany's manufacturing energy intensity improved by 1.8% annually from 2015-2022, measured in kgoe per euro of value added
06
Industrial production index in manufacturing stood at 102.5 (2020=100) in December 2023
07
Turnover in German manufacturing firms totaled €2.8 trillion in 2022, with 45% from exports
08
R&D expenditure in manufacturing reached €112 billion in 2021, or 5.7% of sector turnover
09
Capacity utilization in manufacturing averaged 82.3% in 2023, down from 85.1% in 2022
10
Number of manufacturing enterprises in Germany was 187,000 in 2022, employing 6.7 million people
11
Value added per employee in manufacturing was €112,500 in 2022
12
Manufacturing investment in tangible goods was €145 billion in 2022
13
Share of medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing output was 52% in 2022
14
Productivity growth in manufacturing was 1.2% in 2022 compared to 2021
15
CO2 emissions from manufacturing totaled 250 million tons in 2022, down 5% from 2021
16
Digitalization index in manufacturing firms averaged 3.2 out of 5 in 2023 survey
17
Export share of manufacturing production was 48.2% in 2022
18
Apprentice training positions in manufacturing: 512,000 in 2022
19
Gender pay gap in manufacturing was 18.5% in 2022
20
Renewable energy use in manufacturing processes reached 18% in 2022
Interpretation
Manufacturing Interpretation
Germany's industrial titan shows both its might and its muscle cramps: while it remains the economy's powerhouse with towering output, exports, and R&D, it's currently hobbled by contraction and high costs, proving that even an engineering marvel can't outrun a persistent energy headache.
05 · Category
Mechanical Engineering19 stats
01
In 2022, Siemens produced 1.2 million gas turbines and generators in German plants
02
German mechanical engineering turnover: €294 billion in 2022
03
Exports of machinery: €197 billion in 2022, 67% of production
04
Employment in mechanical engineering: 970,000 in 2023
05
Orders received in machinery sector: €310 billion in 2022
06
R&D ratio in mechanical engineering: 5.8% of turnover in 2022
07
Trumpf laser machinery production: 15,000 units annually from German sites
08
Capacity utilization: 83% in mechanical engineering in Q4 2023
09
Apprentice ratio: 7.5% in mechanical engineering firms 2022
10
Digital transformation investments: €18 billion in 2022
11
Konecranes crane production in Germany: 1,500 units yearly
12
Share of SMEs: 90% of mechanical engineering companies
13
Patent applications: 12,000 in mechanical engineering 2022
14
Energy efficiency improvement: 2.1% annual in machinery production
15
Plant engineering projects value: €50 billion exported 2022
16
Bosch Rexroth hydraulics production: €7 billion turnover 2022
17
Turnover growth forecast: 1.5% for 2024
18
CO2 emissions reduction: 15% since 2019 in sector
19
Festo automation components: 2 million units produced yearly
Interpretation
Mechanical Engineering Interpretation
Germany's mechanical engineering sector is a behemoth of precision and productivity, churning out everything from millions of gas turbines to tiny automation components, all while quietly investing in its digital future, training its next generation, and even managing to reduce its carbon footprint—proving that an industrial powerhouse can indeed teach an old engine new, greener tricks.
06 · Category
Pharmaceuticals18 stats
01
In 2022, Merck KGaA pharmaceutical sales in Germany reached €8.5 billion
02
Bayer AG total revenue from pharma: €18.8 billion globally in 2022, with major German production
03
BioNTech mRNA vaccine production capacity in Marburg: 750 million doses annually by 2023
04
German pharma market size: €52 billion in 2022
05
R&D expenditure by pharma industry: €9.4 billion in 2022, 14% of sales
06
Exports of pharmaceutical products: €59 billion in 2022
07
Boehringer Ingelheim revenue: €25.1 billion in 2022, pharma dominant
08
Number of biotech firms in Germany: 680 in 2023
09
Clinical trials registered in Germany: 1,200 in 2022
10
Fresenius Medical Care dialysis production: serves 5 million treatments yearly from German sites
11
Patent filings in pharma/biotech: 5,800 in 2022
12
Generic drug market share: 75% of prescriptions in 2022
13
Sanofi Germany vaccine production: 100 million doses capacity
14
Pharma employment: 140,000 direct jobs in 2022
15
Turnover of top 10 pharma firms: €120 billion in 2022
16
Investment in biotech startups: €2.1 billion in 2022
17
GMP-certified plants: 450 in Germany in 2023
18
New drug approvals: 45 innovative drugs in 2022
Interpretation
Pharmaceuticals Interpretation
With Germany's pharmaceutical industry churning out billions in revenue, employing armies of researchers, and saturating its own prescription market with generics, it's clear the nation is not just in the business of medicine, but in the very serious, highly lucrative business of manufacturing global health from the bench to the bedside.
Reference
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APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Germany Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/germany-industry-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Germany Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/germany-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Germany Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/germany-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
58 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level