Of particular importance is the automotive industry. Of the approximately 69,500 people employed in rubber processing companies in Germany, 19,600 work in the tire industry. The sector generates a total of 16.2 billion euros and is therefore of essential importance for the German economy (source: IGBCE, as of the end of 2015).
Worldwide, only about 275,000 tons of the raw material end up in Germany. This is little compared to China (2.6 million tonnes). Nevertheless, this amount requires a cultivation area of about 250,000 football pitches. German companies are therefore directly related to the deforestation of rainforests, the use of land and numerous other ecological and social aspects.