Business in Bremen - a success story
A donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster- is there anyone who does not know these Grimm's fairy tale characters? The Bremen Town Musicians are famous throughout the world as a symbol for Bremen. Yet Bremen has much more to offer than an old fairy tale. Cosmopolitanism and innovational drive, entrepreneurial spirit and the art of trade have been the foundations of economic success here since time immemorial. Today, Bremen is a north German business centre offering around 300,000 jobs in a wide range of industries. The stage has been set for ongoing structural change.
Maritime traditions are as alive as never before. The fast-growing port, transport and logistics sector is an increasingly important lynchpin of the Bremen economy. With an annual cargo volume in excess of 52 million tonnes in 2004, the Bremen ports achieved their best-ever results.
High technological standards are also set in Bremen in the fields of production, marine and electronic engineering. In the up-and-coming communication and information technology industry, Bremen has positioned itself well as 'Mobile City Bremen'.
Other promising and potentially expanding fields of competence are microsystem engineering, environmental engineering, the health care industry, food technology and biotechnology. A research infrastructure with four higher education institutes and around 50 research institutes provide the basis and source for growth and development. Offering more than 60 degree courses in all the academic disciplines, the University of Bremen occupies a leading position in the research landscape. The Bremen University of Applied Science - an internationally focused and application-oriented university -, as well as the Bremen College of Art and the International University Bremen complete the range of higher education institutes.
One of the most important fields of expertise in Bremen is aerospace technology. Innovative, globally operating companies such as EADS Space Transportation or OHB-System AG, Europe's leading enterprise in the construction of small satellites, and research centres like the Centre for Applied Space Technology and Microgravitation (ZARM) are domiciled in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.
As Germany's fifth largest industrial centre, Bremen is particularly strong in aircraft construction. Bremen is also the car-making capital of northern Germany. DaimlerChrysler has expanded its Bremen plant to make it the second biggest German production site within the group, with a 15,000-strong workforce.
The food and beverage industry is yet another key industry in the 'brand capital', with many famous brands being are packed or traded in this city by the Weser, including coffee, cereals, beer, wine, ham and chocolate.
INDUSTRIAL ESTATES WITH DISTINCT PROFILES
Bremen has succeeded admirably in forging close links between the business and research communities. This was one reason among many why the city was designated 'City of Science' in 2005.
One centre of crystallisation for transdisciplinary collaboration is the Bremen Technology Park, one of the most successful and efficient of its kind in Germany. It is home to more than 320 high-tech enterprises with a total workforce of 6,200 - engineers developing new satellites, mechanical engineers creating new production processes, and computer experts engineering new software.
The Technology Park has advanced to become a model for other centres - for example, the Airport City around Bremen Airport, or the engineering faculties at the Bremen University of Applied Science. Airport City is a highly modern and attractive location for business, and now has more than 13,500 people employed in around 450 companies and a wide range of industries. Having international air traffic on the doorstep is not the only factor that makes the location of Airport City so popular - Bremen's city centre can also be reached in a matter of minutes.
BIG GROUP PROVIDES ONE-STOP BUSINESS SUPPORT
Regional and business development - these are the core assignments of the government-owned BIG Group, which is closely linked to competent bodies in the state government and public administration. The efficiency achieved by the BIG Group derives from the principle of "One face to the customer". Investors and start-ups are assigned their own contact, who then supports investment projects by coordinating all the necessary steps.