The Freight Services Market in Germany |
| Date Added: February 21, 2011 04:45:03 PM |
| Author: Stephen Willis |
| Category: Business |
Germany is Europe's largest economy and a star performer in world trade. It is therefore no surprise that the freight services market in Germany is well served by a wide choice of shipping companies and freight companies. Germany performs very well in international trade and has trade surpluses with most of its trade partners. In fact it was the world's foremost exporter every year from 2002-2008 and was surpassed only in 2009 by China, when Germany was eased into second place. Germany's trade surplus was over 12 billion euros in February 2009, making it the most export-led nation in Europe.
Germany is clearly therefore a highly export oriented nation, although it imports fuels and raw materials. The needs of these German imports themselves spawn a large number of freight forwarders that are able to support these particular sectors and the distinctive international freight needs of these kinds of products.
Germany's most important trade partners are the EU and the United States. Freight forwarding connections between Germany and the United States as well as to and from other EU countries are thus highly developed and the international freight market is both sophisticated and competitive.
Since the enlargement of the European Union in 2004, Germany has seen an increase in freight transport and trade with Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. As trade has developed in these new EU countries, they have spawned many a new freight company and shipping company keen to capitalise on the emerging opportunities created by the increasing need for freight transport.
However, Germany's single most important trading partner is France. They are followed in importance by the United States. Other important markets are the United Kingdom, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, then Austria, Switzerland, Poland and Spain - and these relative strengths are reflected in the corresponding activity in the international freight transport arena.
Germany's main exports are motor vehicles, machinery, chemical products and electrical engineering products. The country's reputation in motor vehicle manufacturing is legendary and its brands such as BMW and Audi lead the motor industry thoughout the world. As a result, there are many freight services companies that are highly focussed towards serving the needs of the motor industry, all focussed on ensuring that the freight transport of these expensive cars is as streamlined and efficient as the German cars themselves.
It is not so well known that Germany is also the main exporter of solar energy equipment and wind turbines, driving the new market for eco-energy, and also setting the pace in international freight of these specialist items, which have specific freight forwarding needs. Freight forwarders based in Germany have been able to build on their substantial experience to find new solutions that are ideal for the new types of products made in Germany today.
On imports, the most important suppliers to Germany after France and the United States are the Netherlands, Italy, The UK, Belgium, Luxembourg and Japan. Germany's biggest trade imbalance has long been with Japan.
One recent consideration that will continue to help the market for German exports still further is the drop in Euro exchange rate against other main currencies, which is aiding the competitiveness of German exports. This in itself is likely to give a further lift to the freight services sector that serves the market, helping many a freight company and shipping company to face the future with growing confidence after the upheavals in global markets and the economic slump in 2008 and 2009.
Stephen Willis is Managing Director of RW Freight Services a UK based freight transport company, established in 1971 and operating worldwide freight forwarding services including specialist freight services to and from Germany.