10,000 New Jobs, Investments Increased

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14th May 2009, 05:01pm - Views: 936





Business Company Germany Trade And Invest GmbH 1 image




10,000 New Jobs, Investments Increased


FRANKFURT, May 14 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --


    - German Chemical Parks Record Growth - Attractive Business Model for Investors


    The number of employees in German chemical parks has increased

by roughly 10,000 to 240,000 between 2006 and 2008. In this same period, the

number of companies doing business at these sites increased from 840 to 920.

These figures were presented today by Dr. Klaus-Dieter Juszak, Chairman of

the German Sector Group of Chemical Parks and Sites in the German Chemical

Industry Association (VCI). These figures, based on a new industry estimate,

were presented during a press conference at the ACHEMA 2009 in Frankfurt.

"The German concept of chemical parks is successful and has a promising

future," noted Juszak. Michael Pfeiffer, Chief Executive of Germany Trade &

Invest (GTAI), confirmed the interest of foreign companies in the successful

business model provided by chemical parks.


    Establishment of Value-Added Chains


    Investments in chemical parks have increased. In 2008 the

total investment volume surpassed EUR 3.5 billion for the first time. In the

years leading up to 2008, companies invested an average of roughly EUR 3

billion in the expansion and construction of facilities. More than 80 percent

of investment expenditures in the industry fell upon chemical producers.

These investments include both new and established companies. Chemical parks

create an optimal environment, for new and established companies alike.


    Efficiency through Network Structures


    For investors looking to Germany as a chemical production

site, Germany offers numerous location advantages over its international

competitors: a reliable energy supply, combined production potential, and the

sharing of costs for raw materials and intermediate goods.


    Research Network


    The unique network of university and independent research

institutes is a further advantage for Germany as a chemical industry site:

Every second chemical park, according to Juszak, is directly connected to a

research network, as the industry is dependent on a constant flow of research

results. The chemical industry also hopes to continue its high research and

development investments in order to emerge stronger from the global economic

crisis. In this context, Juszak welcomes the federal minister's introduction

of tax relief for companies' research and development initiatives. "It is

important that both the small businesses and large companies benefit from

this support," stressed the Chairman, "because innovation, especially in the

Business Company Germany Trade And Invest GmbH 2 image

chemical industry, is based heavily on cooperation."


    GTAI Chief Executive Michael Pfeiffer confirms that Germany is

also seen as an attractive investment location for foreign investors. Germany

Trade & Invest is the new foreign trade and inward investment promotion

agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. One of the organization's missions

is to attract foreign investors to Germany. According to Pfeiffer, Germany

scores very highly in terms of the country's competitiveness as an investment

location. This is true not only for the chemical industry and its related

industries, but also extends to other branches. In a recently published study

by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), US companies ranked Germany as

the most attractive business location in Europe. Reasons cited included the

high product and process quality in Germany. These are factors that both

companies and customers greatly value, especially in an economic downturn.

Pfeiffer further discussed current industry figures. According to these

figures, Germany's chemical industry is number one in Europe in terms of

revenues, exports, investment, and R&D expenditures. "The German chemical and

chemical processing industry is one of the global heavyweights. Germany is a

clear leader in terms of exports. Chemical companies that produce in Germany

can come out ahead of the competition in international markets," said

Pfeiffer.


    In addition to investments by the chemical industry and the

related processing industries, companies in renewable energies are

increasingly seeking proximity to chemical parks, especially in

photovoltaics, biopolymers, and biofuels. This demand is notably visible in

R&D-intensive investment projects.


    Kontakt: VCI-Pressestelle, Telefon: +49(0)69-2556-1496, E-Mail:

zedlitz@vci.de


    Kontakt: GTAI-Pressestelle, Telefon: +49(0)30-200-099-173, E-Mail:

eva.henkel@gtai.com


    SOURCE: Germany Trade and Invest GmbH


Translations:





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