This is the conclusion reached by the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts, which presented its 2021 report on Tuesday morning.
Overall, despite the pandemic, the sector is showing exceptional resilience, thanks in part to government financial assistance, according to Minister for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Lex Delles:
“Despite this positive development, a distinction between the sectors should still be made.” The construction industry is booming, but the coronavirus pandemic is still wreaking havoc on businesses in the personal care and catering industries.
Construction had a significant surge throughout the recovery. There have been 103 new businesses established, and the order books have been completely filled for the past eight months.
The food industry has lost the most workers, with 355 people laid off. According to Tom Wirion, Director General of the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts, many enterprises’ financial reserves are nearly depleted. And now there’s a major unknown: the war in Ukraine.
“The pandemic and excessive inflation have already damaged businesses. Obviously, a threefold increase in pricing would have a significant impact on companies,” says Wirion. “The cost of energy and raw materials, as well as the cost of personnel, is rising.”
