The economic structure of the Administrative District can best be illustrated by the distribution of employees. This is mainly based on industry with almost 20,000 employees (52.62%) or a total of 23,000 employed (40.1%).

*   Businesses according to tax law
** if provided by businesses and professionals

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With more than 90 %, the business structure is dominated by small to medium-sized businesses (up to 19 employees), and the biggest part is formed by businesses with two to four employees (43.12%). Businesses with more than 20 employees are mainly active in the fields of woodworking and processing, non-metallic mineral processing, foodstuffs and clothing. The biggest employers of the region mainly work in Mechanical Engineering, Foodstuffs and Electrical Engineering.

* Employed at place of work (2006)

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Besides the local trade, small to medium-sized industrial companies based in the economic area have the overwhelming share in a generally beneficial economic development. In recent years both sectors have created secure, future-oriented jobs, as well as jobs suitable for women.

The 114 industrial companies in total (> 20 employees) achieved a total turnover of app. EUR 2,707 million in 2007 (an increase in turnover of 7.9% on 2006); a third thereof (€ 983 million; 36.3%) was generated abroad. The Lower Allgäu’s share in the total industrial job ratio of Swabia was around 6.5% in 2007. At that time the named companies employed 13,765 people.

Of equally great importance is the local trade. At the beginning of 2010, there were 2,141 trade and trade-similar businesses in the Lower Allgäu, which provided an income for around 9,700 employees and 931 apprenticeship training positions. In 2009, these businesses achieved a turnover of EUR 983 million.

* formerly trade-similar businesses

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Apprentices made up 7.8% of all employees in July 2007, although the number of apprenticeship training positions has steadily decreased in recent years. In the catchment area of the Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency) Memmingen, the number of training positions (3,025) was lower than the number of applicants (4,265) in September 2007. In comparison, there were 4,240 training positions for app. 3,920 applicants in the agency’s year 2000/01.

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The Tourism sector with a share of 10% in the total gross value added product of the Administrative District is a significant component of the Lower Allgäu’s economy. In 2005 tourism generated spending power to the amount of € 170 million for the Lower Allgäu. The share in the gross national product is 6.3%. Around a quarter of jobs are directly or indirectly dependent on this economic sector. Around 1 million annual overnight stays of visitors are mainly concentrated on the spa resorts of Bad Wörishofen, Bad Grönenbach and Ottobeuren and the officially recognised resort of Babenhausen, the towns in the federation of municipalities of the Illerwinkel and the town Mindelheim.

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