From leveraging the Rhine for chemical giants to powering Europe's auto factories, North Rhine-Westphalia is an industrial juggernaut where a chemical sector generating €128.5 billion in revenue fuels a machine-building industry with €112 billion in turnover, all while its steel and energy backbone supplies the continent.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia generated a turnover of €128.5 billion, accounting for 28% of Germany's total chemical sector revenue.
- NRW's pharmaceutical production reached 12.4% of the EU's total active pharmaceutical ingredients output in 2022, with 45 major plants operating.
- Bayer AG in Leverkusen produced 1.2 million tons of intermediates for pharmaceuticals in 2023, contributing €18.7 billion to NRW's chemical exports.
- Ford's Cologne plant produced 1.42 million vehicles in 2023, including 450,000 electric models.
- BMW's Dingolfing plant, part of NRW supply chain, supplied components for 320,000 vehicles in 2022.
- NRW automotive industry turnover reached €85.6 billion in 2023, 22% of Germany's total.
- ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe produced 11.2 million tons of crude steel in 2023 across Duisburg plants.
- Salzgitter AG in NRW facilities rolled 3.4 million tons of steel plates in 2022.
- NRW steel industry turnover was €42.7 billion in 2023, employing 78,000 workers.
- RWE generated 112 TWh from lignite power plants in NRW in 2023, 18% of Germany total.
- Uniper's Scholven plant in Gelsenkirchen produced 15 GW gas-fired power in 2022.
- NRW renewable energy capacity reached 18.5 GW in 2023, with 12 GW wind onshore.
- VDM produces 450,000 tons of nickel alloys annually in NRW for machinery.
- NRW machinery turnover €112 billion in 2023, 26% Germany total.
- KION Group in Lüdenscheid shipped 150,000 forklifts in 2022.
NRW is a leading industrial hub across chemicals, automotive, steel, and energy sectors.
Automotive and Suppliers
- Ford's Cologne plant produced 1.42 million vehicles in 2023, including 450,000 electric models.
- BMW's Dingolfing plant, part of NRW supply chain, supplied components for 320,000 vehicles in 2022.
- NRW automotive industry turnover reached €85.6 billion in 2023, 22% of Germany's total.
- 1,200 automotive suppliers in NRW employed 280,000 workers in 2022, generating €45 billion revenue.
- Rheinmetall in Düsseldorf produced chassis for 150,000 vehicles in 2023.
- NRW exported €32.4 billion in automotive parts in 2023, mainly to EU and USA.
- Electric vehicle battery production in NRW reached 50 GWh capacity in 2023, with Accelleron leading.
- Opel in Bochum supplied engines for 1.1 million cars globally in 2022 before closure announcement.
- NRW automotive R&D spending was €6.7 billion in 2023, 25% national share.
- 18,500 apprentices trained in NRW automotive sector in 2022.
- Continental AG in Aachen developed tire tech for 12 million vehicles in 2023.
- NRW vehicle production totaled 2.8 million units in 2023, down 5% from 2022 peak.
- Schaeffler Group in Herzogenaurach supplied bearings for 40% of NRW vehicles in 2022.
- NRW autonomous driving tests covered 1.2 million km in 2023 via test fields in Aachen.
- Truck production in NRW by MAN and others reached 95,000 units in 2023.
- NRW automotive investment hit €4.2 billion in 2023 for electrification.
Automotive and Suppliers Interpretation
While the final assembly numbers may dip slightly, the sheer heft of North Rhine-Westphalia's automotive industry—from its army of skilled workers and billion-euro suppliers to its electric pivot and massive R&D engine—proves it remains the stubborn, indispensable backbone of German car manufacturing.
Chemical and Pharmaceutical
- In 2023, the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia generated a turnover of €128.5 billion, accounting for 28% of Germany's total chemical sector revenue.
- NRW's pharmaceutical production reached 12.4% of the EU's total active pharmaceutical ingredients output in 2022, with 45 major plants operating.
- Bayer AG in Leverkusen produced 1.2 million tons of intermediates for pharmaceuticals in 2023, contributing €18.7 billion to NRW's chemical exports.
- Evonik Industries in Essen manufactured 2.8 million tons of specialty chemicals in 2022, employing 12,000 workers in NRW facilities.
- The plastics processing sector in NRW processed 4.1 million tons of polymers in 2023, with a value added of €9.2 billion.
- NRW chemical industry R&D expenditure totaled €4.8 billion in 2022, representing 35% of national chemical R&D spending.
- In 2023, 1,250 chemical companies in NRW employed 285,000 people, a 2.1% increase from 2021.
- NRW produced 15.6 million tons of fertilizers in 2022, 42% of Germany's total, mainly from plants in Dormagen and Marl.
- The biotech cluster in NRW, including BioRiver, hosted 180 companies with €1.2 billion turnover in 2023.
- Covestro in Leverkusen output 2.1 million tons of polyurethanes in 2023, exporting 65% to global markets.
- NRW's paint and coatings industry generated €7.3 billion revenue in 2022 from 320 firms.
- In 2023, NRW chemical energy consumption was 145 TWh, 29% of Germany's chemical sector total.
- LANXESS in Leverkusen produced 1.1 million tons of engineering plastics in 2022, with €2.4 billion sales.
- NRW's fine chemicals sector exported €12.9 billion in 2023, led by Merck and BASF sites.
- 2022 saw 5,200 apprentices in NRW chemical dual training programs, 31% of national figure.
- The rubber industry in NRW manufactured 850,000 tons of products in 2023, turnover €6.1 billion.
- NRW chemical patents filed reached 2,450 in 2022, highest in Germany at 34% share.
- In 2023, NRW's agrochemical production was 780,000 tons, from companies like Bayer Crop Science.
- Chemical logistics in NRW handled 28 million tons via Rhine ports in 2022.
- NRW's 2023 chemical investment was €3.2 billion, focusing on sustainable production.
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Interpretation
North Rhine-Westphalia is not merely Germany's chemical heartland; it is its industrious pharmacy, its plastic-wrapped powerhouse, and its fertilizer-fuelled breadbasket, all humming along on a river of innovation and sheer tonnage that the rest of the country—and indeed Europe—depends upon.
Energy and Utilities
- RWE generated 112 TWh from lignite power plants in NRW in 2023, 18% of Germany total.
- Uniper's Scholven plant in Gelsenkirchen produced 15 GW gas-fired power in 2022.
- NRW renewable energy capacity reached 18.5 GW in 2023, with 12 GW wind onshore.
- RWE's Hamm plant output 22 TWh coal power in 2023.
- NRW solar PV installations totaled 4.2 GWp in 2023, up 25% YoY.
- Westnetz distributed 45 TWh electricity to 7.8 million NRW customers in 2022.
- NRW hydrogen projects funded €450 million in 2023, targeting 2 GW electrolysis.
- 28,000 employed in NRW energy sector in 2023, 15% in renewables.
- NRW grid losses were 4.2 TWh in 2023 for electricity transmission.
- Open-cast lignite mining in NRW extracted 68 million tons in 2023.
- NRW energy R&D spend €1.8 billion in 2022.
- 5,200 km of high-voltage lines managed by Tennet in NRW in 2023.
- NRW biogas plants produced 3.1 TWh in 2023.
- Gas storage in NRW held 12 billion m³ capacity in 2023.
- NRW energy exports 25 TWh to neighboring regions in 2022.
- 1,450 apprentices in NRW energy dual training 2023.
- NRW pumped storage hydro generated 1.2 TWh in 2023.
- Energy efficiency programs saved 8 TWh in NRW industry 2022.
- NRW wind offshore connection via BorWin grid: 1.6 GW in 2023.
- Heat pump installations in NRW: 120,000 units in 2023.
Energy and Utilities Interpretation
While NRW's energy backbone still heavily relies on coal and gas, evident in its massive lignite generation and open-pit mining, the state is vigorously—if not ironically—building its renewable future with significant growth in wind, solar, and hydrogen, even as it trains the next generation of engineers to manage the very grid that must reconcile these conflicting realities.
Machinery and Equipment
- VDM produces 450,000 tons of nickel alloys annually in NRW for machinery.
- NRW machinery turnover €112 billion in 2023, 26% Germany total.
- KION Group in Lüdenscheid shipped 150,000 forklifts in 2022.
- NRW exported €48.3 billion machinery in 2023.
- 4,500 mechanical engineering firms in NRW employed 320,000 in 2023.
- GEA Group in Oelde produced process plants for 2,500 customers worldwide 2023.
- NRW pump production 1.8 million units in 2022.
- Robotics firms in NRW installed 12,000 units in 2023.
- 22,000 apprentices in NRW machinery sector 2023.
- NRW machinery R&D €9.2 billion in 2023.
- Miele in Gütersloh manufactured 12 million appliances in 2023.
- Compressor production in NRW: 850,000 units 2022.
- NRW printing machinery output €4.1 billion turnover 2023.
- Textile machinery exports from NRW €2.8 billion 2023.
- NRW CNC machine tools produced 45,000 units in 2023.
- Plastics machinery firms in NRW generated €6.5 billion 2022.
- NRW investment in machinery €7.8 billion 2023.
- Patents in NRW machinery: 3,200 in 2022.
- Foundry machinery output in NRW 28,000 tons castings equipment 2023.
- Elevator production in NRW: 65,000 units 2023.
Machinery and Equipment Interpretation
In the beating industrial heart of Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia's machinery sector powers the global economy, from the nickel alloys in its bones and the robots in its factories to the appliances in our homes, all built on a formidable foundation of export strength, relentless innovation, and a legion of skilled hands.
Steel and Metal
- ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe produced 11.2 million tons of crude steel in 2023 across Duisburg plants.
- Salzgitter AG in NRW facilities rolled 3.4 million tons of steel plates in 2022.
- NRW steel industry turnover was €42.7 billion in 2023, employing 78,000 workers.
- Dillinger Hütte in Dillingen produced 1.1 million tons of heavy plates for shipbuilding in 2023.
- NRW exported 8.9 million tons of steel products in 2022, 35% of Germany's total.
- Georgsmarienhütte GmbH output 2.5 million tons of long products in 2023.
- NRW steel R&D investment reached €850 million in 2023 for green steel tech.
- 12,400 apprentices in NRW steel and metal sector in 2022.
- HKM Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann produced 4.2 million tons of slabs in 2023.
- NRW steel recycling rate was 92% in 2023, processing 14 million tons scrap.
- ArcelorMittal in Duisburg coated 1.8 million tons of steel strip in 2022.
- NRW metal processing SMEs numbered 2,450 with €28 billion turnover in 2023.
- Steel energy consumption in NRW was 78 TWh in 2023, down 8% from 2022.
- NRW forged 650,000 tons of special steels in 2023 via Böhler and others.
- Steel patents from NRW firms: 1,120 in 2022.
- NRW aluminum processing output 1.2 million tons in 2023.
- Copper wire production in NRW reached 450,000 tons in 2022.
- NRW steel investment €2.1 billion in 2023 for hydrogen tech.
Steel and Metal Interpretation
While NRW's steel industry continues to forge a colossal economic pillar, producing mountains of metal and powering exports, its true modern weight is measured in a multi-billion-euro pivot toward a greener, smarter future through staggering R&D investments, a vast skilled workforce, and an almost alchemical 92% recycling rate.
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