Business Facilities - September 2008 - (Page 41)

Bavaria, and the importance of the Paramount Home Entertainment, nies like Ghost Bikes from Waldmedia and entertainment industry to Yahoo! Deutschland, and Google all sassen in Upper Palatinate have also the whole state’s economy is increasing have found homes in Bavaria. moved back. The German bicycle steadily. According to a joint survey manufacturer shut shop in the Czech conducted by the Chamber of Com- DEUTSCHLAND SAYS, Republic and returned to Bavaria. merce and Industry for Munich and “WELCOME BACK HOME” “According to estimates made by “The decision by many compa- the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems Upper Bavaria and the capital city of Munich, there are more than 5,000 nies to bring their foreign produc- and Innovation Research in Karlmedia companies in the Greater tion operations back to Germany sruhe, in the last eight years more Munich Area alone, with a sales than 3,500 firms from the metal revenue of more than EUR 21 biland chemicals sectors alone have The largest German industrial companies lion and nearly 62,000 employees. brought back their production in terms of sales in 2006 (in EUR million) If media-related companies are operations from abroad,” says included, the number of firms Daimler Chrysler AG Müller. Altogether, one in every 151,589 swells to 14,700, generating revfour to six companies which had Volkswagen enue in excess of EUR 40 billion relocated their production facili104,875 and providing over 110,000 jobs. Siemens ties abroad returned to Germany “Thanks to its strong posiwithin a few years. 87,325 tion in all segments of the media E.ON AG “I am delighted that the com64,197 industry, its dynamic growth in panies are adopting a more realthe field of digital media and its BASF Group istic approach to their decisions 52,610 key location for the Germanabout sites. Today, all the releBMW Group speaking and Eastern European vant location factors leading up 48,999 markets, the Bavarian media sec- Thyssen Krupp AG to a foreign engagement are tor will continue to attract Gerbeing analyzed more thor47,125 man and foreign direct invest- Robert Bosch GmbH oughly,” Müller says. Companies 43,684 ment in the years to come as are recognizing that foreign proRWE AG well,” says Minister Müller. duction operations often can cre42,871 In 2008, a huge influx of ate greater problems in regards to high-caliber companies set up Deutcshe BP AG quality, higher logistics costs, 41,569 new facilities and invested in and less flexibility than the comF.A.Z.-Archiv plant expansions in Bavaria, panies may have anticipated. including Turner Broadcasting “While those Bavarian firms System, medienfabrik Gütersloh, shows that Germany, and especially seeking proximity to new markets Sony Pictures Television Interna- Bavaria, are once again growing more will certainly continue to produce tional Germany, Kyodo Public Rela- attractive as top industrial locations,” abroad in the future as well, we will tions Co., Glam Media, Yellow Bird, says Müller, in response to a series of make every effort to keep Bavaria as recent backsourcing decisions. The competitive as possible in a global and Lambie-Nairn. Invest in Bavaria, the location Kathrein Group, a communication comparison. I am therefore expecting marketing initiative of the Bavarian technology company, recently more companies to bring their forGovernment, has, in the last few years, returned its Korean production unit eign production operations back to played an integral role in persuading back to the city of Grassau on Lake Bavaria,” Müller adds. several dozen media companies with a Chiemsee, while Steiff, a toy manuworkforce exceeding 1,500 employees facturer, has left China in favor of THE ‘IT’ FACTOR During the past few years, 30 comto relocate to Bavaria and stay there. Giengen an der Brenz, a district town Firms such as Kabel Deutschland, in Germany’s eastern state of Baden- panies operating in the information Discovery/DMAX, Vivendi Games, Württemberg. Other smaller compa- technology and communication servBUSINESS FACILITIES 41

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Business Facilities- September 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves:�Mississippi Editor's Location Picks 2008 The Palmetto State Reaches Across the Sea Corporate Moves:�Tennessee Metro Spotlight:�Spokane, WA Biotech: Building Block for Development Wind Power Lifts Iowa Germany:�Europe's Economic Juggernaut California Here We Come Up, Up and Away in North Carolina Corporate Moves:�West Virginia Metro Spotlight:�Decatur/Greensburg, IN Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - September 2008

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