Page 11 - Annual Report 2019

Supervisory Board Report
Group Management Report
Consolidated Financial Statements
Annexes

2.2. Sector trends
Contrary to expectations, the business climate in the textile and apparel industry further worsened.
Total sales in the German textile and apparel sector (for companies with 50 employees or more)
were EUR 16.8 billion in 2019. The market report published by the “textile + mode” trade association
once again revised revenues down by -3.2% (prior year: -1.9%):

Sales Employment Export

+2.5 %
-2.2 %
-3.2 %

Fig. 3: Sales, employment and export trends in the textile and apparel sector in 2019

The textile segment continued to fall below expectations with a major decline in sales of -4.4% (prior
year: -0.4%). The prepress areas spinning mill (-12.2%), weaving mill (-6.9%) and finishing (-6.4%)
along with the home and household textiles (ready-mades -4.2%, carpets -8.4%) sector were
especially affected. Unlike the previous year, no positive development was observed in any of the
segments. Following a drop of -5.4% in nonwoven sales, this segment was also unable to recover
appreciably this year (decline of -2.6%). Technical textiles dipped slightly into the red in 2019,
recording a -0.4% drop in sales. Negative development in both segments is largely due to the cooling
industrial economy, as many textile manufacturers are also suppliers and are highly dependent on
other sectors like the automotive industry.

2019 sales trends – textile segments
0
-0.4%
-1.0% -0.2%
-20
-3.0% -2.6%
-4.2% -4.2%
-5.0% -40
-6.4%
Mio. EUR
-7.0%
-60
-6.9%
-9.0% -8.4%
-80
-11.0%
-12.2%
-20.8%
-100
-13.0%
Compared to 2018 in EUR Percent
-15.0% -120
Spinning Weaving Finishing Warp/weft Ready-mades Carpets Cordage Nonwovens Technical textiles Others

Source: Industry association “textile+ mode”, February 2020 market report
Fig. 4: 2019 sales trends – textile segments

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