With its companies combined in the EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG and global activities in the business areas of Performance Polymers and Fine Chemicals / Engineering, the EMS Group already announced in its half-year report on 10 July 2009 that there were signs of a global economic recovery. In the hard hit automotive industry, which is particularly important for EMS, a stabilisation was expected. As EMS considered that the lowest point of the economic slump had been reached and the situation would improve, it consequently stopped its global recruitment freeze. EMS then reported clearly higher net sales and net operating income in the third quarter of 2009 compared with the previous quarters.