Establish your company in Aachen: quality of life between European culture and high-technology
High technology and production know-how, internationality and tradition: this is the Technology Region Aachen in Germany, the perfect choice for company settlement.
A favourable environment for companies
Aachen located in immediate proximity to the conurbation Rhein-Ruhr. It serves as a major gateway to Germany, the Benelux countries and France and offers highly favourable conditions for companies and for investors.
A history leading to industrial excellence
Due to its regional pit coal deposits, the area around Aachen was one of the first regions in continental Europe to be industrialised in the early 19th century. The region underwent a far-reaching structural change to become a high-tech area of European significance. The outstanding, technically oriented research and university landscape accounts for this evolution:
- the RWTH Aachen University, the first university in North Rhine-Westphalia designated ‘University of Excellence’,
- the Jülich Research Centre, one of the largest European interdisciplinary research centres,
- numerous public and private research centres (i.e. four Fraunhofer Institutes, Ford).
These institutions contribute to a well working technology transfer and are often nucleus for new entrepreneurship in the high-tech area. By this, a new technology orientated Mittelstand was able to establish itself over the years. Today, more than 70% of the employees are working in the service sector. Above all, highly innovative industries are present. Among the most important fields of activity:
- Life Sciences,
- ICT,
- Automotive,
- Mechanical Engineering,
- Energy,
- New Materials...
Beautiful and attractive surroundings
Aachen also boasts an extremely high recreational value:
- A varied countryside from the Eifel National Park to the Lower Rhine area,
- a far-reaching cultural programme,
- an inspirational landscape with numerous well preserved historical buildings,
- the city of Aachen, offering the Aachen Cathedral, the first building listed UNESCO World Heritage in Germany and also the burial place of Charlemagne, the World Equestrian Festival (‘CHIO’) and the awarding of the International Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen attracts millions of visitors to the Region every year.
Attractive commercial and industrial real estate
Valuable industrial land and commercial land is available in the areas of Aachen, Hasselt and Liege, and Maastricht. A large offer in commercial and industrial real estate includes office buildings, retail property, production halls, warehousing facilities, scientific research infrastructure… You can find commercial property and industrial plots and facilities for sale or for rent either in and around cities or in numerous business parks.
Key information for the Aachen region (2010):
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Population:
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1.28 million
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Area:
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3,525 km²
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Gross domestic product (GDP):
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€ 30.6 billion
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Companies:
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> 55,000
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Employees:
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0.61 mln
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Universities:
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2
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University students:
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> 40,000
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For more information or individual location consultation, please contact: AGIT (p.gier@agit.de or f.leisten@agit.de)
The NRW Investment Guide to North Rhine-Westphalia offers an excellent overview of all the relevant information you’ll need for the start-up of your business in North Rhine-Westphalia.
