Invest in Bavaria: Latest News

Bavaria’s Economics Minister Zeil receives Head of Desertec Industry Initiative / Vice-Minister Hessel prepares for her trade mission to Morocco

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:47:00 +0200

MUNICH Bavaria’s Economics Minister Martin Zeil will be meeting Paul van Son, head of the desert energy consortium Dii (formerly Desertec Industrial Initiative) tomorrow. “The main focus of the current energy debate in Germany is on extending the lifespans of nuclear power plants. But we should not forget how important it is to keep promoting the development of Renewable Energies. Visions like Desertec need to be ventured. They therefore deserve the consistent support of Bavarian and German policy-makers”, Zeil said.

Bavaria’s Vice-Minister of Economic Affairs, Katja Hessel, will be in Morocco in mid-September to gather on-the-spot information about the Moroccan solar plan and potential options for the Desertec Initiative. Hessel: “In five years time, solar electricity could already be on its way to Europe from the deserts of North Africa in existing power lines. Only recently, a Moroccan company, Nareva Holding, also joined the Dii consortium. Dii is planning to build the first Desertec reference projects in Morocco. The development of renewable energies in North Africa will also offer attractive business opportunities for Bavarian companies, which we will explore during our trade mission.”

The idea of Desertec is to generate electricity from solar and wind energy in desert regions for the local and European market. Some 15 per cent of the European energy requirement could be covered in this way by the year 2050. In a study conducted by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the investment needed for such a scenario was estimated at 400 billion Euro. Dii was formed to implement the Desertec concept. Besides E.ON and RWE, the Bavarian enterprises Siemens, the Flagsol Joint Venture from MAN Ferrostal and Solar Millennium as well as Munich Re are also shareholders in Dii.

MEDICA 2010

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:00 +0200

Bavaria, Germany’s largest State, is a pioneer in the medical technology development and a front runner of the industry. Through its continuous promotion and long-term commitment, Bavaria is a key player in the European healthcare community. Bavaria is home to an impressive number of leading international manufacturers of medical devices such as Siemens, GE, Baxter, Beckmann Coulter BMS and Ziehm Imaging. The majority are small and medium companies, many of them “home-grown” spin-offs of large companies or university labs. Bavaria’s national and international business communities continue to grow and are prepared to make best use of market and industry opportunities.

At the world’s largest fair for medical devices, the MEDICA 2010 in Düsseldorf from November 17 to 20, 2010 Invest in Bavaria will present the Health Care Region Bavaria at booth E83 in hall 3.

To make appointments please contact:
Mr. Benjamin Emans
Senior Manager Life Sciences & Environment
Tel.: +49 89 2162-2209
healthcare(at)invest-in-bavaria.com

ION GNSS 2010 in Portland, OR, USA – Bavaria positions it’s booth at international conference of satellite navigation

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:24:00 +0200

Satellite navigation is the industry of tomorrow. The scope of possible activities for enterprises ranges from satellite modules through the Galileo receiver chip up to software for vehicle navigation systems. But increased opportunities also bring with them increased competition and it becomes vitally important for companies to optimise the development, production, marketing and sale of their products.

Bavaria thereby offers an innovative research environment, highly qualified staff, reliable suppliers and a wide selection of potential buyers among application-oriented technology enterprises. All this is coupled with innovation-friendly economic policies offering extensive development programmes and initiatives. This ideal environment is completed by the experienced and professional team of bavAIRia e.V. - the Bavarian Cluster for Satellite Navigation. Thus, Bavaria offers the best conditions for research and application-oriented companies, which once again will be a major issue at this year’s ION GNSS.

This year’s conference takes place at the U.S. west coast in Portland, Oregon. It offers the ideal surrounding to observe the current development in the satellite navigation sector. Special attention will again be paid to the European satellite navigation project Galileo. One of the two European Galileo control centers is located in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria.

Invest in Bavaria is the central drop-in centre for all interested investors. We provide essential information and contacts, personal meetings and the specific search for your ideal location in Bavaria.
Come visit us at Booth H, situated directly at the main entrance of the fair!

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions:

Dr. Lucie Merkle: lucie.merkle@invest-in-bavaria.de
Ursula Sieh: ursula.sieh@invest-in-bavaria.de

Bavarian-Japanese web portal is given a new look

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:13:00 +0200

The information portal Japan in Bayern has undergone a complete relaunch that will make its offers attractive in the future as well. Japan in Bayern was first launched in 2002 and is aimed at the Japanese community in Bavaria as well as everyone wishing to find out more about Japanese life in Bavaria.

In re-styling the portal, particular attention was paid to a simple and clear-cut structure and giving it a fresh and appealing design and image. To guarantee greater topicality, the site has been converted to a state-of-the-art content management system. It will continue to be offered in Japanese and German in the future as well.

The portal provides comprehensive information on relations between Bavaria and Japan: covering not only on economic facts and figures, but also the cultural side. Visitors to the site can therefore gain an insight into the many town twinning schemes between Japan and Bavaria or find contacts with service providers in Bavaria that specialise in inquiries from Japanese customers.
The news section of the portal has been made bigger: Japan in Bayern now provides even more up-to-date reports on topics relating to Bavarian-Japanese relations. One very practical feature is the Events Calendar offering interesting dates at a glance.

Japan in Bayern is lead-managed by Invest in Bavaria, the Business Promotion Agency of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Infrastructure and Technology, and Bayern International GmbH. The site’s contents are jointly prepared and presented by the Representation of the State of Bavaria in Tokyo, the Japanese Consulate General in Munich, the Deutsch-Japanische-Gesellschaft in Bayern e.V [German-Japanese Society in Bavaria], the Japan Centre of Munich’s LMU University and JETRO, the Japanese Foreign Trade Organisation.

www.japan-in-bayern.de

For further information please contact:
Ms. Kaori Yamaguchi-Humpert
Tel.: +49 89 24210-7503
japan(at)invest-in-bavaria(dot)com

Bavaria’s Economics Minister Zeil comments on results of the ifo Business Climate Index for July 2010

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:20:00 +0200

MUNICH The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Martin Zeil welcomed July’s results of the ifo Business Climate Index, saying: “The extremely positive figures for the ifo Business Climate are another pleasing sign showing how quickly and sustainably the economy is stabilising in Germany. The State of Bavaria is once again benefiting exceptionally well from the recovery of global trade.” He added that it was now up to the politicians to give a sustained boost to the forces of growth in industry. For Bavaria, this meant in concrete terms speeding up the momentum of innovation in industry. “We will give new driving force to our innovation and technology policies. This is one of the key pillars of Bavaria’s new government programme “Aufbruch Bayern“ - Bavaria on the Move - commented Zeil.

In the first five months of the year, orders received from abroad in Bavaria’s manufacturing industries were well above the level of the previous year with a plus of 25 per cent. In May, they received another boost with a 30 per cent increase over 2009. Zeil said: “On the whole, order intake in the manufacturing industries is now almost back at the pre-crisis level of 2008. This promises a continuation of the pleasing economic trend for the coming weeks and months.” In July, the ifo Business Climate in Germany went up significantly by 4.4 points compared to the previous month to 106.2 points.

Fifth Workshop for Bavaria’s Business Promoters in Bad Kissingen / Minister of Economic Affairs Zeil wants to specifically highlight business location strengths

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:30:00 +0200

MUNICH / BAD KISSINGEN Under the theme heading ‘Strong Bavaria – Strong Locations’ some 120 regional business promoters are meeting today and tomorrow, following an invitation of Invest in Bavaria, the Business Promotion Agency of the State of Bavaria. At the meeting the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Martin Zeil, explained: “Bavaria is still a very attractive business location for international investors. In order to remain successful in the face of ever-tougher international competition we want to specifically highlight our strong points. Experience exchange and an even closer cooperation with our ’strong locations’ in the regions will help accomplish this goal.“

At this year’s meeting of the business promoters, besides activities of Invest in Bavaria, the agenda also includes topics about the support and funding of companies. We want to offer business promoters the opportunity to acquire detailed information about support programs and financing possibilities for companies. Small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, need to know about state support and financing schemes“, added Economics Minister Zeil.

The workshop for Bavaria’s business promoters organized by Invest in Bavaria is being held for the fifth time. The venue moves from one Bavarian administrative district to the next and is being held this year, in 2010, in Lower Franconia for the first time.

Business Conference for Russian Investors in Moscow

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:08:00 +0200

MOSCOW / MUNICH On his delegation trip to Moscow, Martin Zeil, Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, is promoting Bavaria as a business location. Invest in Bavaria, the business promotion agency of the Free State of Bavaria, has organised a business conference in Moscow under the motto ‘Bavaria is opening its doors for Russian companies’. Zeil: “We want even more Russian enterprises to come to Bavaria and to make their business activities in Bavaria as efficient and profitable as possible.”

In an interactive working atmosphere, more than 70 potential Russian investors used the opportunity to obtain information about Bavaria as an industrial location and the legal framework conditions for business activities in Bavaria. “The number of inquiries from Russian companies interested in setting up a business in Bavaria has increased even further since the beginning of the economic crisis. This illustrates yet again the enormous importance of the State of Bavaria in Russia as a crisis-proof, innovative top location at the heart of Europe”, so Zeil. In her progress report ‘Doing Business in Bavaria’, Mikhail Vasin, Senior Corporate Communications Manager of the Russian IT Security corporation, Kaspersky Lab EEMEA, encouraged participants to set up a business in Bavaria. Headquartered in Moscow, the corporation has a central office for Europe located in Ingolstadt, which alone employs more than 140 people. At present, there are around 50 Russian companies in Bavaria. Not only large companies but more and more small and medium-sized enterprises from Russia are considering a venture into the Bavarian, and hence the European, market.

At the end of the business conference under the motto ‘Bavaria is opening its doors for Russian companies’, Minister Zeil invited those participating in the event to join him at the Bavarian reception with Bavarian specialities and Bavarian music. Here they had the opportunity for networking with some of Bavaria’s high-ranking political representatives as well as with the members of the Bavarian business delegation. In 2009, despite the global financial and economic crisis, the volume of Bavarian-Russian trade came to around eight billion Euros. Russia is therefore Bavaria’s biggest and most important trading partner in Eastern Europe by far. Since 1985, the importance of Bavarian-Russian trade has been reflected in a Bavarian Representative Office in Moscow.

Trade fair for Commercial Property and Investment EXPO REAL from 4 – 6 October 2010 / Neue Messe München

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:31:00 +0200

The international trade fair for commercial property and investment EXPO REAL is being held again as the sector’s most significant platform at the New Munich Trade Fair Center from 4 – 6 October. Invest in Bavaria, the Business Promotion Agency of the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, will be represented this year at a booth in Hall C2.330.

Hosting participants from over 70 countries the EXPO REAL is the leading trade fair in the international commercial property industry.
Representatives from the real estate sector will again engage is intensive discussions on future market trends and exchange information on attractive property locations and project developments.

Regions of Bavaria are regularly distinguished as first class locations in international studies and journals. Just in June this year, Munich was ranked as the “City with the highest quality of life“: in an international study the Bavarian capital topped the index of the renowned magazine Monocle. Decisive factors were the high-quality housing, best medical care, extensive environmental awareness, excellent business opportunities and the city’s airport with an ever-growing number of direct international connections. The manager magazin also attests Bavaria high attractiveness in its EU location ranking. Twelve of the German regions in the Top 25 are in Bavaria.

Invest in Bavaria is on the spot at the EXPO REAL with its own booth, providing information on the opportunities Bavaria holds as a business location for foreign investors.

You will find us in Hall C2, Booth 330. We look forward to seeing you!

Your contact partners:
Merle Hirsch ( merle.hirsch(at)invest-in-bavaria(dot)de) +49 89 24210-7501
Christine May ( christine.may(at)invest-in-bavaria(dot)de) +49 89 24210-7502

Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Zeil, embarks on a trade mission to Moscow with an over 100-strong delegation

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:03:00 +0200

MUNICH The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Martin Zeil, is leaving today on a trade mission to Moscow accompanied by a high-caliber 100-member business delegation. The mission will include in particular talks with the Mayor of Moscow, Jurij Lushkov, his First Deputy, Jurij V. Rosljak and members of the government for the Moscow region. Zeil: “With our trip to Moscow we wish to further develop and intensify our longstanding and close partnership. This not only applies to major projects such as the construction of ten 3-star hotels and the redevelopment of the Lefortovo urban district, but also to the large number of smaller cooperation projects.“

At the ‘13th Bavarian Business Days’ the focus will be on the competences of Bavarian industry in the field of energy efficiency. “Bavarian technology can make a significant contribution to exploiting Russia’s huge energy saving potential“, Zeil commented. Besides expertise in the field of low-energy construction the members of the delegation are active in many different industrial sectors, from medical technology, traffic management systems and environmental technologies all the way to the interdisciplinary field of sensor technology. The participating Bavarian companies are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises and will have the opportunity at the Bavarian Business Days to interact with entrepreneurs and government representatives from the city and region of Moscow and to establish first business relations.

From the year 2000 to 2008 the bilateral exchange of goods increased by more than fourfold the volume to 10.9 billion euro. Despite setbacks in Bavarian-Russian trade the Russian Federation, primarily the Greater Moscow area, was Bavaria’s major trading partner in Eastern Europe. It is Bavaria’s third-largest foreign trade partner outside of the EU, after the US and China. In the first quarter of 2010 the trade volume is again showing a positive development and is 18 percent higher than in the same period of the previous year. “The large number of companies taking part in this trade mission underscores the Bavarian industry’s great interest in Russia. It also shows that the State of Bavaria remains a reliable partner, even in difficult economic times“, Zeil added.

The number of Bavarian companies active in the Russian Federation is exceptionally high. Of the 4,600 German companies operating throughout Russia, a good third are from Bavaria. In the Greater Moscow area Bavarian companies actually account for almost half of all German companies. In addition to Bavaria’s global players, these particularly include many small and medium-sized companies.

Attention editors: Photos of the trade mission can be downloaded on Friday from www.stmwivt.bayern.de/presseinfo/bildergalerie.

Martin Zeil, Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, hands over grants to the German Aerospace Center and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Augsburg

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:15:00 +0200

MUNICH / AUGSBURG Handing over grants amounting to a total of approximately € 24 million to the German Aerospace Center – Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) – and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG) in Augsburg, Martin Zeil, Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, said: “ I am pleased that Augsburg has become a location for the renowned Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the German Aerospace Center. This strengthens Swabia’s excellent research infrastructure even further.”

As part of the ‘Composite Fibre Technologies and Mechatronics Research Offensive for Bavarian Swabia’, the Bavarian State Government is supporting the Augsburg location with funds amounting to a total of € 53 million. Central elements of the research programme are the establishment of a DLR Center for Light-Weight Construction Technology, an FhG Project Group for Function-Integrated Light-Weight Construction and an FhG Project Group for Resource-Efficient Mechatronic Processing Machines. The City of Augsburg is contributing an additional € 8.5 million.

The Augsburg / Swabia region already possesses key industry and research competences in the fields of fibre-reinforced composites, mechatronics and IT services. These competences are being further strengthened. Said Zeil: “The further development of the non-university research infrastructure in the region of Swabia is of great importance when it comes to sustainably strengthening key industries in Southern Germany and ensuring their future competitiveness. This will secure and increase the number of high-tech jobs.”

The main aim of the research programme is to develop new and efficient production and automation processes for the manufacture of composite fibre components. Along with mechatronics, in other words, the interplay of mechanics, electronics and informatics, activities focus on fibre-composite materials. Zeil: “I am certain that our funding has been well invested. Carbon fibre is a remarkable material with a great future: as well as being very light, it is extremely strong. Carbon fibre plays a major role in light-construction technology, a field that is growing exponentially all over the world. It has outstanding potential, especially in the aerospace industry, automobile manufacture and mechanical engineering. This new technology offers several advantages: aeroplanes and vehicles can be made lighter, which reduces their energy consumption and thus increases their economic efficiency. This in turn improves their environmental performance.”