Here's some good news: the mechanical engineering industries recorded a 3.9 % increase in sales in 2010, to 101.2 billion euros. This turnaround is all the more spectacular given that the first half of 2010 had been difficult, with activity down on 2009, which had been a very bad year (15 % down on 2008, a record year). Thanks to this turnaround, the mechanical engineering industry is now back where it was in 2005-2006.
L’automobile, l’aéronautique, le ferroviaire et le nucléaire ont le plus tiré la croissance des industries mécaniques en 2010.
Dans le détail des chiffres communiqués par la Fédération des Industries Mécaniques, on remarquera la performance de la France à l’export : + 9,4 % (à 41,2 milliards d’euros) par rapport à 2009. Il est des secteurs où la France ne s’en sort pas si mal…
However, there are still some shadows in the picture. The mechanical engineering industry, France's largest industrial employer, saw its workforce fall by 4.8 % in 2010 to 620,000 employees (representing around 20 % of industrial employment). Today, the decline has been halted, and forecasts for 2011 are more optimistic given the upturn in activity that began and was confirmed in 2010.
For 2011, the rebound in activity should be confirmed for the various mechanical engineering professions (agricultural machinery should pick up again). And an increase of 5 % is expected.
La FIM estime que nos industriels sont pénalisés et appelle les pouvoirs publics à prendre des mesures fortes dans plusieurs domaines prioritaires. La plupart sont connus : réduction du coût du travail (et notamment de certaines charges sociales), simplification du système administratif, modération de l’augmentation du prix de l’électricité, suppression de l’ISF (beaucoup d’entreprises appartiennent à leurs dirigeants, qui préféreraient investir), encouragement des particuliers à investir dans l’industrie.
Finally, it should be remembered that the mechanical engineering industries represent around 11,000 companies with 10 employees, breaking down into 45.6 % in the transformation industries, 44.9 % in equipment supply and 9.5 % in precision industries (optics, measuring instruments, healthcare).
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