Germany claims the #1 position in nanotechnology in Europe. The turnover generated by 750 nano-companies active in Germany amounted to about $48 billion (33 billion Euro) in the year 2007.
The total number of employees currently working in the field of nanotechnology in Germany is estimated at 63,000. The global nanotechnology R&D-expenditures of nanotechnology companies active in Germany were about $6.8 billion (4.7 billion Euros) in 2007. About 97%, the major part of the total research expenditure, is attributed to large enterprises with research budgets of more than $1.4 million (1 million Euro). The R&D-expenditures represent German investments worldwide and is in part also comprised of foreign groups with activities in Germany. That’s all according to “ nano.DE-Report 2009, Status Quo of Nanotechnology in Germany” published by Federal Ministry of Education and Research Department (BMU) “Nanomaterials; New Materials“ (D-53170).
About 370 companies in Germany are to be regarded as nanotechnology core firms in which nanotechnology accounts for an essential part (more than 30 %) of the business activities. For the rest of the companies – first and foremost big and medium-sized enterprises from traditional branches of industry – nanotechnology is rather a complementary side activity or represents only a relatively small part of the value added.
Present forecasts do not yet consider the effects of the global economic crisis to the full extent. Nevertheless, analyses show that the nanotechnology sector continues to develop dynamically. Current market forecasts for nano-optimized products expect an economic leverage effect of nanotechnology to a world market volume of up to $3 trillion by 2015. This corresponds to approx. 15 % of the global production of goods. In the medium term, nanotechnological know-how will have an immense influence on the value added, for example in the fields of health, information and communication technology as well as in energy and environmental engineering.
On the value added step of nanomaterials and devices for the manufacturing or analysis of nanostructures, world market volumes of approximately $50 billion are forecasted by 2010. In nanoanalytics, an increase is forecasted from $2.5 billion in 2008 to $3 billion in 2010. In the same period, a world market growth from $35 billion to $43 billion is assumed for the field of nanotools and from $1.3 billion to $ 2.1 billion for the nanomaterials sector. These assessments provide a realistic but also incomplete picture of the market potentials of nanotechnology, since in each case only a fraction of the multitude of different methods and material classes is considered. A more de -tailed assessment requires the breakdown to individual material classes and methods, which are exemplified in the present report.
Regarding both thematic orientation and positioning within the value-added chain, the German nano-technology corporate landscape is widely diversified and comprises manufacturers in the field of nanomaterials, nanotools, nanoanalytics and equipment for the operation of nanotools (e.g. vacuum and clean-room technology, plasma sources etc.) manufacturers and users of nano-optimized components and systems as well as service providers in the field of consulting, contract coating, technology transfer, contract analysis and research.
Nanotechnology is a relatively young field of technology. Approximately 70 % of the nanotechnology companies were set up after 1985. For about a quarter of the companies the subsidies of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and funding on federal-state and EU-level played an important role in the start-up of their businesses. Other decisive factors were the know-how transfer from research institutions as well as financing through venture capital.
Nanotechnology companies are relatively highly export-oriented. Only one fifth of the companies regard Germany as the dominant business market with a share of > 75 %. For approx. half of the companies, the German domestic market accounts for less than a quarter. The most important market behind Germany is Europe, followed by North America and Asia with equally high shares. Other regions play a rather minor role regarding sales markets.
The large majority of the nanotechnology companies expect an increase in sales figures and numbers of employees as well as in research investments by 2010. More than half of the companies reckon with increases in sales of over 10 % compared to 2007. Although the extent of the global financial and economic crisis has not been foreseeable at the time of the survey, a significantly positive industry trend for the coming years is beginning to show.
Nanotechnology is such a key technology. With its, "Nano-Initiative – Action Plan 2010", the Federal Government has established an interdepartmental framework for action in the area of nanotechnology.
