Editor profile

Elena Richter

Senior Editor, Export Manufacturing

Elena Richter covers Germany’s export-driven economy and global manufacturing networks. She specializes in trade dynamics and the restructuring of European supply chains.

elena.richter@germanmfgnews.com

Bylined articles

Industry Germany

The boundaries of employment in German manufacturing are disappearing: the industrial logic beyond statistics.

The latest CEPR research indicates that German manufacturing jobs are increasingly occurring in the service sector. Behind this statistical phenomenon lies a structural transformation of Germany's industrial system toward deep integration of "manufacturing + services." From the perspective of German industrial competitiveness, this article interprets the deep implications of this change for industrial policy, skill demands, and the future of manufacturing.

Elena Richter7 min read
Industry Germany

The Long Decline of German Industry: Policy Costs, Shifting Competition, and the Future of Manufacturing

German industrial output has not grown for over two decades. Accumulated policy costs and shifting global competition are pushing the former European manufacturing engine toward long-term stagnation. This article analyzes the deep logic of this decline from the dimensions of industrial structure, energy policy, and China-Germany competition.

Elena Richter8 min read
Automotive And Mobility

Viewing German Automotive Industry 2035 through the Shift of Profit Pools: The Logic of Industrial Restructuring Revealed by Deloitte Report

Deloitte has released a study titled "Future Automotive Mobility to 2035," focusing on five major automotive markets in the US and Europe, predicting that the mobility market will nearly double and that the profit pool will undergo 11 transformations. This article interprets this from a German industrial perspective, analyzing the deep impact of this trend on Germany's automotive manufacturing system, industrial chain, and global competitive landscape.

Elena Richter5 min read
Export Manufacturing

German industry adrift in the ebb of the "China dividend": Structural choices before the EU summit

Based on HCSS expert analysis, this article delves into the trade dilemma Germany's industry faces with China on the eve of the EU summit. It focuses on the structural reasons behind the shift from surplus to deficit in core sectors such as automotive, machinery, and chemicals, as well as Germany's dilemma between industrial interests and political pressure, while also assessing the long-term impact on European industrial policy and the global manufacturing competitive landscape.

Elena Richter5 min read
Export Manufacturing

Major Transfer of German Industrial Assets: The Industrial Logic Behind the €29.4 Billion Acquisition

In the second quarter of 2026, TK Elevator changed hands for €29.4 billion, and deals such as Bain Capital's acquisition of Volkswagen's Everllence indicate that German industry is undergoing deep capital restructuring. This article analyzes the significance of these transactions for the future of German manufacturing from the perspective of industrial competitiveness.

Elena Richter4 min read
Industry Germany

The industrial logic behind the German paper pad machine market: the intersection of sustainable automation and electronic supply chain

This article provides an in-depth analysis from the perspective of the German industrial system of the industry logic behind the growth of the paper pad machine market: packaging transformation driven by sustainability regulations, demand for Industry 4.0 automation, and the electronics supply chain's reliance on high-end equipment, exploring the implications for the future competitiveness of German manufacturing.

Elena Richter7 min read