Energy bills soar, production lines move out, and the entire European manufacturing industry is facing a big shift!
Energy bills soar, production lines move out, and the entire European manufacturing industry is facing a big shift!
European textile enterprises suffer from business crisis
Affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the backbiting effect of sanctions against Russia, the energy expenditure of European textile industry has increased sharply in the past few months, and some enterprises have encountered difficulties in production and operation, facing the risk of production reduction, shutdown and even bankruptcy. Statistics show that the energy cost of many European textile manufacturers has risen from 5% to about 25% of the production cost.
Taking Italy as the representative, the European Federation of Clothing and Textile Industries has warned for many times that the sharp rise in energy costs has seriously weakened the profits of European textile enterprises. The European Federation of Clothing and Textile Industries said that if energy prices continue to rise, the European textile industry is likely to lose the advantages accumulated by the industry in previous decades.
A textile factory in Tuscany, central Italy, said that they mainly provide fabrics for famous clothing brands in the country. The factory has nearly 100 employees, and the energy driven by production equipment in the factory is mainly natural gas, with an annual consumption of more than 3 million cubic meters.
However, in recent months, the explosive growth of energy prices has led to higher production costs of textile mills. Last year's natural gas bill was 87000 euros, and this year's bill was 700000 euros. In this regard, operators said that they could not bear the burden of operating.
It is reported that Tuscany is the most important textile manufacturing region in Europe, with about 18000 employees in the industry. With the continuous rise of energy prices and costs, more and more local enterprises are facing the problems of layoffs, production cuts and stoppages, and declining market competitiveness.
As a result, the clothing industry in Europe has been greatly affected. Some small spinning and dyeing plants that supply well-known clothing brands such as Gucci in Italy and ZARA in Spain can hardly absorb the extra costs. According to suppliers, some brands have transferred production to other countries such as Türkiye with lower costs.
European car factories gradually transfer production lines
A report released by Standard&Poor's Global Mobility, a research institute in the automotive industry, shows that the European energy crisis has made the European automotive industry face huge pressure on energy costs. In addition, energy use restrictions before winter may lead to the shutdown of automobile factories.
The researchers of the institute said that the entire automotive industry supply chain, especially the pressing and welding of metal structures, needs to use a lot of energy.
Due to the sharp rise in energy prices and the government's restrictions on energy use before winter, from the fourth quarter of this year to next year, the estimated output of European automobile enterprises in each quarter dropped from 4 million to 4.5 million to the lowest 2.75 million, and it is estimated that the output will be reduced by 30% - 40% in each quarter.
Therefore, European enterprises have moved their production lines out, and one of the important destinations for relocation is the United States. Volkswagen Group has launched a battery laboratory at its factory in Tennessee. The company will invest a total of 7.1 billion dollars in North America by 2027.
Mercedes Benz opened a new battery factory in Alabama in March. BMW announced a new round of electric vehicle investment in South Carolina in October.
Some insiders believe that high energy costs have forced energy intensive enterprises in many European countries to reduce or stop production, making Europe face the challenge of "deindustrialization". If the problem is not solved for a long time, the European industrial structure may change permanently.
European manufacturing crisis highlights
As enterprises continue to move outward, the deficit in Europe continues to expand, and the latest trade and manufacturing achievements announced by various countries are not satisfactory.
According to the latest data released by the European Statistical Office, the euro area's exports of goods in August were estimated to be 231.1 billion euros for the first time, up 24% year on year; The import volume in August was 282.1 billion euros, up 53.6% year on year; The non seasonally adjusted trade deficit was 50.9 billion euros; The seasonally adjusted trade deficit was 47.3 billion euros, the largest since records began in 1999.
According to the data of S&P Global, the initial PMI of manufacturing industry in the euro area in September was 48.5, a 27 month low; The initial comprehensive PMI fell to 48.2, a new low for 20 months, and was below the boom and bust line for three consecutive months.
The initial comprehensive PMI of Britain in September was 48.4, lower than expected; In September, the consumer confidence index fell by 5 percentage points to - 49, the lowest since records began in 1974.
According to the latest data released by the French Customs, the trade deficit in August expanded from 14.5 billion euros in July to 15.3 billion euros, higher than the expectation of 14.83 billion euros, and the largest trade deficit since records began in January 1997.
According to the data of the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, after working days and seasonal adjustments, German merchandise exports and imports rose 1.6% and 3.4% month on month respectively in August; In August, German merchandise exports and imports rose 18.1% and 33.3% year on year respectively.
German Deputy Prime Minister Habak said: "The US government is currently investing in a very large package to deal with climate change, but this package should not undermine our equal partnership between the European and American economies. So we see a threat here. Companies and enterprises are moving from Europe to the United States to obtain huge subsidies."
At the same time, it is stressed that Europe is currently discussing countermeasures to the current situation. Although the situation is not developing well, Europe and the United States are partners and will not engage in a trade war.
Experts pointed out that the European economy and foreign trade suffered the most from the crisis in Ukraine, and in the expectation that the European energy crisis could not be solved quickly, the transfer of European manufacturing industry, the continued weakness or even recession of the economy and the continued European trade deficit are highly probable events in the future.
能源账单飙升，生产线外迁，整个欧洲制造业面临大转移！
欧洲纺织企业遭经营危机
受俄乌冲突和对俄制裁反噬作用影响，欧洲纺织行业过去数月能源支出急剧增加，部分企业生产经营遭遇困难，面临减产停工甚至倒闭的风险。数据统计显示，欧洲许多纺织品制造商的能源成本已从占生产成本的5%上升到25%左右。
以意大利为代表，欧洲服装和纺织业联合会此前已多次预警表示，急剧上升的能源成本已严重削弱欧洲纺织企业的利润。欧洲服装和纺织业联合会称，如果能源价格持续走高，欧洲纺织业很可能损失行业此前数十年积累的优势。
一家位于意大利中部托斯卡纳的纺织工厂表示，它们主要为本国著名服装品牌提供面料。工厂拥有近100名员工，厂区生产设备驱动能源以天然气为主，年消耗量超过300万立方米。
但最近数月，能源价格爆炸式增长导致纺织厂生产成本走高，去年的天然气账单金额是8.7万欧元，今年同期的账单金额是70万欧元，对此，经营者表示经营不堪重负。
据悉，托斯卡纳是全欧洲最重要的纺织品制造区域，行业员工约为1.8万人。伴随能源价格上涨和成本增加持续，当地越来越多企业面临裁员、减产停工、市场竞争力下降等问题。
这样一来，欧洲的服装业大受影响，一些向意大利Gucci、西班牙ZARA等知名服饰品牌供货的小型纺纱、染色厂等难以消化额外的成本。据供应商称，一些品牌已经将生产转移到成本较低的土耳其等其他国家。
欧洲车厂逐步转移生产线
汽车行业研究机构——标准普尔全球移动日前发布的一则报告显示，欧洲能源危机使欧洲汽车行业面临巨大的能源成本压力，加之冬季来临前的能源使用限制或将导致汽车工厂停产。
该机构研究人员称，整个汽车行业供应链中，尤其是金属结构的压制和焊接等，需要使用大量能源。
由于能源价格的大幅上涨和冬季来临前政府对能源使用的限制，从今年第四季度到明年，欧洲汽车企业每季度的预计产量从400万辆到450万辆之间降至最低275万辆，每季度预计将减产30%—40%。
因此，欧洲企业纷纷将生产线外迁，而外迁的重要目的地之一，就是美国。大众集团在其位于田纳西州的工厂启动了一个电池实验室，该公司到2027年将在北美总共投资71亿美元。
梅赛德斯-奔驰3月在亚拉巴马州开设了新的电池工厂。宝马宣布10月在南卡罗来纳州进行新一轮电动汽车投资。
有业内人士认为，高昂能源成本迫使不少欧洲国家的能源密集型企业减产或停产，令欧洲面临“去工业化”挑战。如果问题长期得不到解决，欧洲工业结构可能永久性改变。
欧洲制造业危机突显
因企业不断外移，欧洲的逆差持续扩大，各国最新公布的贸易及制造业成绩不尽人意。
欧洲统计局发布最新数据显示，欧元区8月货物出口额首次估计为2311亿欧元，同比增长24%；8月进口额为2821亿欧元，同比增长了53.6%；未季调贸易逆差为509亿欧元；经季节性调整后贸易逆差为473亿欧元，为1999年有记录以来最大。
根据标普全球公司的数据，欧元区9月份制造业PMI初值为48.5，创27个月新低；综合PMI初值降至48.2，创20个月新低，连续三个月处于荣枯线下方。
英国9月份综合PMI初值为48.4，低于预期；9月份消费者信心指数下降了5个百分点至-49，为1974年有记录以来的最低值。
法国海关最新发布的数据显示，8月份贸易逆差从7月份的145亿欧元扩大至153亿欧元，高于148.3亿欧元的预期，为1997年1月有记录以来最大的贸易逆差。
德国联邦统计局数据显示，经工作日和季节调整后，8月份德国商品出口额和进口额环比分别上升1.6%和3.4%；8月份德国商品出口额和进口额同比分别上升18.1%和33.3%。
德国副总理哈贝克表示：“美国政府目前正投入非常大的一揽子计划来应对气候变化，但这一揽子计划不应该破坏我们，也就是欧洲和美国两个经济体之间的平等伙伴关系。所以我们在这里看到了威胁。公司和企业正从欧洲转向美国，以获得巨额补贴。”
同时强调，欧洲目前正在讨论目前局势的对应措施。尽管情况发展欠佳，但是欧洲和美国是伙伴，不会进行贸易战。
专家指出，欧洲经济、外贸在乌克兰危机中受伤最深，而且在欧洲能源危机没有可能快速解决的预期下，今后欧洲制造业转移、经济继续疲软甚至衰退和欧洲贸易逆差持续是大概率事件。
