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Bakery in Lower Saxony: The food industry is particularly affected
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa
As a result of the energy crisis, medium-sized companies have to realign themselves - this is the result of a study by DZ BANK of more than 1000 managing directors.
A significant proportion of companies are so "seriously hit" that they have to initiate drastic changes in order to continue to be able to operate successfully.
According to this, every fourth medium-sized company is currently facing restructuring: 17 percent expect a change in the business model and 16 percent expect a closure of individual business areas.
The food industry is particularly affected - every third company expects adjustments here.
"All in all, however, the survey shows that there is no longer any industry that can still escape the effects of the energy crisis," says the statement.
»One of the great strengths of medium-sized companies is the ability to change«
A "massive increase in margin pressure" would lead to the need to adjust structures.
The food industry is also particularly affected: the margins of 93 percent of the companies have come under pressure.
The chemical industry at 86 percent and the metal, automotive and mechanical engineering sectors at 83 percent were also hit harder than average.
In many sectors there would be a risk of switching to other production sites.
Margin pressure means that the profit margin decreases due to rising costs.
Stephan Ortolf, Head of Corporate Customers at DZ BANK, is quoted as saying: "One of the great strengths of SMEs is their adaptability, in order to maintain a future-proof business model even in times of changing framework conditions."
»The determination with which many companies are now reacting to the energy crisis makes me optimistic about the coming months.«
Every fifth company in the food industry expects to have to lay off employees due to the energy crisis - on average this applies to 12 percent of companies.
The DZ Bank noticed a difference between East German (17 percent) and West German (10 percent) federal states.
In order to avoid layoffs as far as possible, every fifth company plans to send employees on short-time work.
Home office is also an option for one in five to save on operating costs.
"The fact that medium-sized companies in structurally weak regions in particular are being forced to cut jobs is particularly worrying in times of a shortage of skilled workers," said Ortolf according to the announcement.
»The hospitality industry has shown during the pandemic that laid-off employees cannot simply be replaced after the crisis.
The middle class is in a dilemma in terms of costs.«
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