FRANKFURT -- German electronics industry investments abroad hit am all-time high in 2011 of EUR 57.2 billion,  the Association of Electrotechnology and Electro-industry (ZVEI) announced today. The mark is nearly triple 2002 levels, ZVEI said.

German-based electronics companies have some 1,392 foreign subsidiaries which employ 665,000 workers. Combined with 840,000 domestic employees, Germany’s electronics industry has 1.5 million employees worldwide.

In addition to its investment activities abroad, the sector exported goods valued at EUR 160.1 billion in 2012.

The greatest investments were made in the US (12.4 billion), China (5.2 billion), Holland (2.6 billion), the UK (2.3 billion), and Spain (1.9 billion).

Meanwhile, the amount of foreign direct investment into the German electronics industry also set a record of EUR 549 billion in 2011. More than half of that investment came from EU countries, 23% from North America and 6% from Asia.

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