Crisis gets bigger

Scrappage scheme in construction: who thinks it makes sense

Costs too high, interest rates too high, credit guidelines too strict: There is hardly any building going on, especially in the privately financed sector.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

1500 euros if you scrapped a car that was at least 13 years old and bought a new car at the same time - this scrappage scheme boosted the vehicle market in 2009. Could a similar measure also help combat the crisis in the construction industry? This has been hotly debated since the DAN kitchen boss's initiative.

"If there were similar economic developments in the automotive industry in Germany, a scrappage scheme would have been introduced there a long time ago" - with these words, DAN Küchen boss Ewald Marschallinger underlined how dark the clouds have become over the construction industry and related sectors. A scrappage scheme would boost investment in construction projects, equipment and trade.