Economic Report Rhineland-Palatine
(December 2013)
1. Rhineland-Palatine´s economy at a glance
Economic Region: The German Palatinate (Pfalz) Important Facts and
Figures
In the Palatinate as a whole, production industries contribute about 42% of the gross value
added (in figures, 14,401 million Euros). About 57% of the gross value added (19,582
million Euros) is generated by the services sector; here, the retailing branch, the hotel and
restaurant and transport services account for 4,714 million Euros or about 15% of the gross
value added, while the sector comprising financial, hire and corporate services yields 7,176
million Euros (about 25%).
A high proportion of the industry located in the Palatinate is export oriented. The current
export quota for the region is over 60% - a remarkable proportion when one considers that
the comparable figures are about 50% for the entire state of Rhineland-Palatinate and
around 44% for Germany as a whole.
Production for export is particularly marked in the chemical industry. As already mentioned,
the chemical industry - the most important branch of industry in the Palatinate - is
inseparably linked with the name of the city of Ludwigshafen. Thus, as a result of the
founding of BASF SE (i.e. Baden Aniline and Soda Factory) during the period of
industrialization, the north section of the Rhine Plain in the conurbation around
Ludwigshafen developed into what is now the largest single chemical plant in the world.
In contrast, The Westpfalz sub-region, in which the cities Pirmasens and Zweibrücken are
important centres, is characterized by medium-sized businesses and industries, e.g. shoemaking.
The draw-down of American forces in Germany - many of which were based in and around
Kaiserslautern - has left the city facing severe structural problems.
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Rhineland-Palatine enjoys an outstanding position in many fields:

Along with BASF SE, major producers in the area are BK Giulini as well as Raschig and
Abbott.

The establishment of a truck assembly plant of Mercedes-Benz (now Daimler) in
Wörth moved vehicle manufacturing to the fore in this area.

Other major industrial branches are vehicle manufacture and supplies, with the
Daimler truck assembly plants in Wörth and Germersheim, the Opel factory
Kaiserslautern, and a number of important auto suppliers such as Keiper Recaro,
BorgWarner and Harman Becker.

In the field of engineering and machine construction, the Palatinate is the preferred
location of many major companies, including Europe's largest pump producer, KSB,
and the manufacturer of printing machinery, König und Bauer-Albert (KBA);

The region is home to the producer of mechanical pulping machinery, Gebrüder
Pfeiffer AG, and the crane manufacturer, Terex Demag.

In addition, metal production and the manufacture of metal products are of
importance in the Palatinate.
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2. Economic Data: Rhineland-Palatine
RHINELAND-PALATINE
GERMANY
Population
12.6 Mio
GDP / per Capita
38,300 $ 1)
GDP
(Feb 2013)
465.50 Billion €
605.15 Billion $
80.5 Mio 2)
(Census: 9/5/2011)
82. Mio 2) 3)
(12/2012)
42,300 $ 2)
(2012)
2,666 Billion €
3,500 Billion $
Unemployment
(11/2013)
5.1 % 2)
6.5 % 2)
Persons in employment
(10/2013)
1.272.104
(31.3.2013) 3)
42,210 Million
Import from Israel
148 Mio $
(1-12/2012)
1,099 Mio $
(1-6/2013)
202 Mio $
(1-12/2012)
2,110 Mio $
(1-12/2012)
2,280 Mio $
(1-6/2013)
rate of registered
unemployed
Export to Israel
4,754 Mio $
(1-12/2012)
1)
Exchange Rate: 1 € = 1.3 $
Source: DESTATIS Statistisches Bundesamt (Federal Statistical Office)
3)
Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz, 2013 (Statistical Office Rhineland-Palatine)
2)
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3. Foreign Trade Germany - Israel
Foreign Trade Germany - Israel
2011 - 2013
Year
Imports
Exports
Volume of Trade
2011
2012
1/2 2013
Mio. €
1,870.05
1,623.13
845.75
growth*
11%
-13%
-2%
Mio. €
3,427.26
3,657.92
1,754.87
growth*
19%
7%
-8%
Mio. €
5,297.31
5,281.04
2,600.62
growth*
16%
0%
-6%
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt; Bayerisches Landesamt f. Statistik (=Federal Statistical Office, Bavarian State
Office for statistics)
Effective: September 2013
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4. Foreign Trade Rhineland-Palatine - Israel
Foreign Trade Rhineland-Palatine - Israel
2010 - 2012
Year
Imports
Mio. €
2010
2011
2012
85.2
94.0
114.0
10.3%
21.2%
151.6
155.7
5.2%
2.7%
growth*
Exports
Mio. €
144.1
growth*
*compared to the same period of time of the previous year
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt; (Federal Statistical Office)
Effective: September 2013
5. Research & Development Expenditure in Rhineland-Palatine
Expenditure for Research & Development 2011 in different business Sectors
(in Million €)
Government and
Universities
Enterprises
Total
NGO´s
Rhineland-Palatine
Germany
207
505
1 673
2 384
10 974
13 449
51 077
75 500
Source: Germany Trade & Invest
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