As of: March 19, 2024, 6:00 a.m
By: Hans Moritz
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His industry is struggling: building contractor and district master craftsman Rudolf Waxenberger.
© Hans Moritz
Significantly more sales with significantly fewer employees – this is what the skilled trades in the Erding district look like.
But behind this there is no small economic miracle.
Erding - Rather, the increase in sales is due not least to inflation.
The worries are great.
At the annual reception, district master craftsman Rudolf Waxenberger gave the key data for the past year.
According to him, at the end of 2023 there were 2,607 companies in Erdinger Land, a decrease of just 0.2 percent.
They employed 10,200 people, 300 fewer than the year before - a sign of the baby boomers' retirement.
The companies trained 774 young people, just one less than in 2022. The number of new qualifications rose by 30 or 11.5 percent to 291.
The balance sheet figures that Waxenberger presented in the Sparkasse's Schrannensaal prove that the trade's advertising slogan "The economic power next door" is not that far-fetched.
Sales rose by 40 million to 1.68 billion euros, an increase of 4.4 percent.
Each person employed in the craft sector had a turnover of 165,000 euros.
The reception is not primarily a presentation of the balance sheet; rather, it is a good tradition for the district master craftsman to outline the political and social situation and present the industry's concerns to politicians.
Waxenberger sharply criticized the fact that bureaucracy is known as the number 1 economic obstacle, but “nothing significant is happening when it comes to dismantling it”.
On the contrary: There is no new law “that is not enforced with a mass of regulations”.
But this is also due to the citizens themselves, who insist on legal regulations “instead of taking responsibility themselves and coming to an agreement in sensibly conducted discussions”.
However, Waxenberger is worried that “this will be the end of Germany as an industrial location” if bureaucracy is not reduced quickly and quickly.
Many industrial companies have already been sold and/or relocated.
Not so with his profession: “We craftsmen cannot and do not want to flee abroad, as we have strong economic and moral roots here.
“Business went well until the end of 2022, despite the pandemic,” diagnosed Waxenberger.
“But now we are heading towards a crisis in the craft sector, mainly due to the politically caused crisis in construction.” This can be seen in the increasing number of bankruptcies.
However, we will not bury our heads in the sand.
The former crafts president Heinrich Traublinger echoed the same sentiments in his celebratory speech.
“The main construction industry is the anchor of the economy.
And here it is crunching everywhere.” Traublinger confirmed that politicians “want the best”.
The problem, however, is that the population's trust has been lost.
“No subsidies will help against this. “We need a spirit of optimism again,” says Traublinger.
In the country, the craft is a little easier than in the city, “you are more closely rooted here,” says the large baker.
Bernhard Hartl, deputy district chairman of the farmers' association, also denounced the bad mood in his welcoming speech.
He thanked the trades for taking part in the farmers' demonstrations at the beginning of the year.
The great response showed the social dimension of the frustration.
Solidarity must remain: “Together we are a world power,” said Hartl, who said with a smile to the guilds: “Farmers are keen to invest.” ham