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Materials are the driving force for innovative product developments in the German industry. Vehicle construction, mechanical engineering, the chemical industry, electrical engineering, information and communications technology, medical technology, as well as the power industry profit especially from developments in materials research. New materials define the technological performance of industrial societies, improve the competitiveness of companies and reduce the ecological impact through an efficient use of resources. Moreover, as materials make up more than 50 percent of production costs in manufacturing, new materials lead to enormous cost reductions in production.