In 2015, the value of goods exported from Thuringia reached EUR 13.5 billion, an increase of 4.2 % on the previous year. “The value of exports in 2015 was the highest since 1991,” says Thuringia Statistics Office President Günter Krombholz.
To give just one example of a company contributing to this growth, medical technology manufacturer Geratherm, from Geschwenda, last year increased its annual turnover by double digits. A manufacturer of fever thermometers that concentrates on exporting, it recorded annual growth of 15.4 % and a turnover of EUR 21.6 million in 2015 – its best result ever – despite the subdued mood on international markets. With the support and guidance of the State Development Corporation’s team Thuringia International, more and more small- and medium-sized companies are venturing out onto the international scene.
There is one gloomy segment to report, however: for the many businesses whose main foreign customer is Russia, EU sanctions against that country in the wake of the conflict in the Ukraine made the figures for 2015 rather skimpy. (gro)