Employees Rising Employee Numbers As a result of positive business development, PUMA was able to create additional jobs. On an annual average, it maintained a workforce of 3,475 employees, compared to 2,826 in the  previous year. This corresponds to an increase of +23%. In the same period, personnel expenses rose by 25.8%, from € 126.6 million to € 157.5 million. The average per capital expense increased from € 45 thousand to  € 46 thousand.  Largely due to further expansion of the  company’s retail operations, sales per  employee in 2004 declined from € 450.8 thou- sand to € 440 thousand. As of December 31, 2004, PUMA had 3,910 employees worldwide; this represents an increase in the number of personnel by 721  or 22.6% in comparison with the previous year. New personnel were recruited in the sales area in particular, due to the  aforementioned retail expansion. In all, sales staff increased by 563 to 2,080 employees. The marketing area was built up by 11.8%  to a current 152 employees and product  management/product development & design by 59 to 344 employees. Sourcing/logistics increased by 21 to 802 employees. In the  central units, there were 62 new hirings  which brought the number of staff to 532. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Employees development 2000-2004 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 employees (year-end) employees (annual average) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Sales per employees (on average) (thousand €) 0 100 200 300 400 500 Employees by function (year-end) 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 Sourcing/logistic Central units Productmanagement/ development Marketing Sales 2004 2003 32 Foreword | Mission |  Management Report  | Share | Marketing | Consolidated Financial Statements - IFRS - | Report of Supervisory Board | Board of Management