Med-Tech Slips as Target Market for German Micro and Nanotechnology Companies

The automotive industry squeaked past the medical technology sector as the primary target market for German micro and nanotechnology companies in 2009, according to a report published today by the IVAM Microtechnology Network. Slightly more than half of the German companies surveyed by IVAM supplied the automobile industry, compared with 44% across Europe. That variance would seem to indicate that this is a transitory phenomenon. It is likely that the car scrapping scheme has caused a short-term boost to carmakers and their suppliers, notes the report.

Overall, the first half of 2009 was a tough year for companies in the microtechnology, nanotechnology and advanced materials sectors. Business picked up considerably for some companies in the second half, according to the report. There is some optimism that 2010 will be even better (it couldn’t get much worse, as the song goes). One worrisome trend highlighted by the IVAM report is a 30% reduction in R&D investments in 2009 in response to the economic crisis. In a sector as dependent on research and the development of next-generation technologies as this one, that is a recipe for stagnation and, ultimately, decline.

Figures illustrating the results of the survey and a number of other business reports can be downloaded from the IVAM website.

IVAM is an international association of companies and institutes in the fields of microtechnology, nanotechnology and advanced materials. Approximately 300 companies, institutes and partners from all over the world currently are IVAM members.

Tags: business report, IVAM, Microtechnology, nanotechnology