The industry in the Rhine-Main area rarely enjoys much attention. The region is perceived, which is not wrong, primarily as a location for banks, the stock exchange and the airport. Things are different these days: The fact that Opel has been building cars for 125 years even attracted the Federal Chancellor here on Saturday. The celebration should not hide the fact that the industry is threatened in many ways. Distortions in globalization are hindering the export-oriented sector of the economy. The high electricity prices are causing companies problems on the cost side. Companies can certainly rise to the challenge of paying more attention to environmental concerns. But not the excessive bureaucracy associated with it. Business expansion plans fail due to excessive landscape protection. The shortage of skilled workers, not only this, but also a result of wrong politics, is doing the rest. Ideology and the rage for regulation. Industrial companies can cope with a lot. But no one knows the moment when high loads, whatever they may be, can no longer be absorbed. This “tipping point” may have already been passed. The number of employees in Hesse’s industry fell from 372,000 to 349,000 in the six years from 2018 to 2023. The news about job cuts is increasing, Continental is just one example of several. Opel may be celebrating, but the future of the automotive industry in Hesse is by no means certain. It is precisely in this leading industry in the Federal Republic that ideology and the mania for regulation are particularly rampant.More on the topicSome people may not be happy to see the industry continue to shrink. They tend to put more strain on the environment than service providers. Emissions go down when factories die, politicians can celebrate. But just as more electricity has been imported since the nuclear phase-out, goods that were manufactured elsewhere under possibly more problematic circumstances are also being imported. In fact, the region’s industrial base should not be gambled away carelessly. Economic areas are less vulnerable to crises if they are broadly based, and there should also be jobs for those who do not have a high school diploma – to name just two reasons for the industry. What it needs is a moratorium on new burdens and clear framework conditions that are stable, at least in the medium term. You can then confidently trust in the ingenuity of capable managers and employees.
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