After a free fall, followed by hitting the bottom the recovery for the industry now seems to be on its way however slow and weak. This according to the market prognosis for 2010 by Teknikföretagen, the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries, presented at the fair. The employment rate is expected to continue to drop next year and there is a possibility that this will last until 2011.

Small and medium sized subcontractors have the upper hand in rapid changes in the market, according to Ingrid Larsby Arvered, global purchasing manager at Sandvik Material Technology.
– Smaller companies are more flexible and can make bigger adjustments in a short amount of time.

A careful optimism is starting to spread in the Swedish subcontracting industry. Despite a very tough situation for many companies the general tone is more positive and the market reports presented lately show that the industry is starting to recover.

- There is enormous fighting spirit and I am convinced that the fair has been an important step for the future for many of the companies here, says Jonas Ekeroth, project manager of Elmia Subcontractor.