The chemical industry is one of the most important employers in the southwest. However, the high energy prices are causing problems for many companies here as well. The trade union responsible is concerned about the jobs in the country – and has a specific demand.
Karlsruhe/Stuttgart (dpa/lsw) – According to the Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE), a possible gas shortage is still driving companies in the south-west. “The question of availability still remains,” said Country Manager Catharina Clay of the German Press Agency. As long as coal and nuclear power cannot be offset by renewable energies, the gas bridge is needed. “The big question mark is: How will Germany be able to compete in this mixed situation in the future?”
Whether the federal aid and the recently launched aid from the state of Baden-Württemberg will be sufficient will depend on how the topic develops over the winter. “We have many companies that are preparing to possibly go on short-time work.” Some companies in the Southwest would have switched to oil to have alternatives. Others – such as the hygienic paper manufacturer Essity in Mannheim – pushed ahead with the construction of LNG terminals.
The chemical industry in particular is at the beginning of many industrial supply chains, said Clay. “If plastics can’t be produced, then we have a problem packaging food. If glass ampoules for vaccines cannot be made, then we have problems with medical supplies.” It is right to help companies when their future viability is threatened by high energy prices.
The trade union, which invites politicians and company representatives to an energy conference in Karlsruhe on Monday, also insists on securing local jobs. “If the companies receive subsidies from taxpayers’ money, then it must also be ensured that they invest in the future here at the location and secure jobs,” Clay demanded. In the recently distributed press release by the Ministry of Economics on the start of liquidity support for small and medium-sized companies, not a word was said about job security.
The IG BCE in Baden-Württemberg claims to represent around 150,000 industrial employees from the chemical and pharmaceutical, paper, plastic, glass and ceramics sectors. According to the Economics Ministry, the chemical industry is one of the three largest manufacturing sectors in Baden-Württemberg, accounting for 10 percent of total sales.
