“For the construction sector, 2012 was not a bad year, but neither was it as good as expected. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main problems was the relatively bad weather. The long-drawn-out debate over tax incentives for the energy-efficient renovation of buildings also had a negative impact. Due to the resultant uncertainty, numerous renovation projects were put on ice”, says Martin Roth, managing director of Germany’s Bonn-based brick and tile association Bundesverband der Deutschen Ziegelindustrie e.V.
Roof tiles
The German Federal Statistical Office reports a 7.7% downturn...