Downward tendency

While the German manufacturers of tools were able to speak of success and grow their sales in recent years (2006: +11.4 per cent; 2007: +9.3 per cent to € 3.7 bn), the situation in the first six months of 2008 is relatively lacklustre. According to the current survey of the FWI (trade association of the tool-making industry), sales were up by just 2.6 per cent to a total of € 1.9 bn.