BVMed Report Cites Good Job Prospects for German Medtech Industry, but Shortage of Qualified Staff

According to a current survey by German Medical Technology Association BVMed, job vacancies in the medical industry can be found in 96% of the companies. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the companies to recruit adequately qualified staff, states the report. In the survey in which 94 BVMed member companies participated, 94% of participants claimed job prospects for engineers to be good to very good. For qualified professionals, this number even amounted to 98%. Vacancies can mainly be found in sales (66 of the 94 companies), marketing and communication (35), key account management (27) and research & development (24). Only 4% of the companies claimed not to be offering any jobs at the moment. But, according to the survey, 91% of the companies are encountering increasing problems to fill vacancies, especially in sales but also in key account management and research. 

The report also states that the medical industry, which has successfully defied the financial and economic crisis, is increasingly coming under pressure due to outstanding receivables in some EU member states and a significant increase in the cost of commodities. This was pointed out by BVMed based on a recent survey on the development of prices for relevant commodities. The late payment problem with receivables outstanding for months or even years has further increased in some European countries. Therefore, due diligence may be advisable when supplying medical devices. According to industry sources, the late payment problem applies to some German, especially regional service providers. The problem was aggravated by sharp price increases for commodities within the last 12 months. In the past 12 months prices for commodities, especially for cellulose, cotton, non-woven fabrics and medical granules for synthetic materials have risen between 30 and 65%.

Tags: BMed