Business in Germany

Bremen – an attractive, multi-faceted city

Bremen, the dynamic heart of north-west Germany and the traditional home of the Bremen Town Musicians, has many faces. It is a city with a sense of innovation, where different aspects of history, tradition, cutting edge technology, science and space travel come together to form a fascinating whole, and where business and science work together in perfect harmony to help steer Bremen towards success.

Bremen – an innovative, lively and dynamic business location
With great innovative strength and technological expertise, Bremen is forging ahead, leaving many of its competitors trailing in its wake.  Over the last two years, the Hanseatic city has confirmed its leading position in a series of location comparisons and rankings. Testimonies from renowned institutes such as the Bertelsmann Foundation, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and the Institute for Economic Research as well as publications such as "Wirtschaftswoche" and "Impulse" are impressive examples of just how dynamic the Bremen economy has become.

 

Bremen is booming. Bremen's harbours have been reporting record volumes of traffic over the last decade. Automotive engineering, life sciences, aviation and space travel, logistics and mobile technologies are all sectors that are enjoying the beauty, cultural diversity and very special atmosphere of this Hanseatic city. Positive developments in these key economic areas are also accompanied by success in other fields.

A city has to keep changing in order to survive. One of the signs of Bremen's dynamic development is the redevelopment of the international port and dockland area. A whole new district – the "Überseestadt" – is being created, featuring modern architecture, a maritime feel, and a mix of commercial and residential buildings. Designed to ensure Bremen's future commercial success by driving growth, the "Überseestadt" is not only an appealing location for many old-established Bremen companies – it is also attracting companies in new service sectors as well as meeting and incentive travel organisers. Bremen's new conference centre, the BLG–Forum & Energieleitzentrale set in the "Speicher XI" warehouse in the "Überseestadt" district, combines authentic maritime flair and old industrial charm with art, culture, commerce and science, providing fresh impetus for this lively location.

Bremen – the brand capital
Bremen is home to a wide range of gourmet creations, along with some of the world's biggest brand names. The city is known far and wide for everything from beer and bananas to coffee and cornflakes to tea and tobacco.  Every other cup of coffee drunk in Germany is supplied by a Bremen company. Home to Jacobs, Onko, Westhoff, Melitta and Azul – Bremen is Germany's coffee capital.

One of Bremen's biggest exports – dating back as far as the 13th century – is beer. The refreshing taste of Beck’s, now owned by the global player InBev, is enjoyed by consumers all over the world from Alaska to Zimbabwe. A number of other famous brands are produced within a few paces of the Beck’s brewery: the supplier of Philadelphia, Mirácoli and Toblerone, Kraft Foods has its German headquarters in Bremen. Just around the corner, tempting chocolates and pralines are created by Hachez. On the other side of the River Weser, Kellogg's produces its cornflakes for the European market. Delicious cooked meats are produced here by Könecke-Redlefsen, while the Atlanta Group distributes fruit and vegetables sourced from 123 different countries and BakeMark/Meistermarken suppliers baking ingredients to bakers all over Germany. Vitakraft ensures that pets are also well provided for in the Hanseatic city. It's true what they say - Bremen is never that far away. It's in every kitchen!

 

Bremen – City of Science
Bremen has been an outstanding centre of science for more than ninety years. From shipbuilding and aircraft construction to space stations and rocket stages, the city has cemented its reputation as the home of high-tech industry. With exciting interactive exhibitions and science centres, highly regarded universities and pioneering technologies, Bremen has been responsible for a number of projects that prove that science does not have to be dry and boring. The Hanseatic city also endeavours to maintain close links between science and the local community.
Its easy to see why Germany's smallest federal state, consisting of the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven, was able to fight off 36 other candidates for the title "City of Science 2005", making it the first centre of science to win this award.

The new House of Science in the heart of the city has been continuing this dialogue since 2005, giving visitors an insight into the work of Bremen's universities, colleges and research institutes.

Bremen's reputation as an outstanding university city has spread far and wide. With the main university, the private International University Bremen (IUB) where English is spoken, the University of Applied Sciences and the University of Fine Arts, the city offers a wide range of courses for students.

Home to companies such as Astrium/EADS, OHB-System AG and ZARM Fallturm Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, Bremen is Germany's foremost centre for the aerospace industry.
A visible sign of the close links between science and commerce in Bremen, the Technology Park is also one of Germany's leading high-tech locations, where research centres such as the Fraunhofer Institute and Max Planck Institute work closely alongside prestigious international companies.

The city is also well acquainted with the highest spheres: Bremen has the second-largest Airbus production and development site in Germany. The upper stages of the Ariane rockets are built here, as were the Spacelab and Columbus laboratory for the International Space Station. Future space transporters such as the Phoenix or ATV are also being developed here.
Those wishing to make their own journey of discovery can experience scientific phenomena close up at Bremen's Science Centres. Both the Universum Science Center and the Botanika offer interactive exhibitions that are guaranteed to awaken the spirit of discovery in every visitor.