Welcome to the Land of Ideas
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Poland
Czech Republic
France
Netherlands
Belgium
Switzerland
Austria
Luxembourg
Denmark
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate
Saarland
Hesse
North RhineWestphalia
Lower Saxony
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony
Brandenburg
Mecklenburg-West
Pommerania
Thuringia
Bavaria
Baden-Wuerttemberg
Schleswig-Holstein
Berlin
BremenHamburg
Munich
Stuttgart
Saarbruecken
Mainz
Wiesbaden
DuesseldorfErfurt Dresden
Potsdam
MagdeburgHanover
Schwerin
Kiel
Form of government: parlamentarian democracy Area: 357,022 square kilometres Population in 2006: 82.5 million Capital: Berlin
Currency: Euro (€ 1 = 100 cents) State structure: federation of 16 federal states (Länder) National holiday: October 3 (Day of German Unity)
Number of companies: (not including agriculture) 3,172,771 Export volume (goods) in 2005: EUR 786.1 billion
Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005: EUR 2,244 billion Share of the European Union’s GDP in 2005: 20.8%
You and your ideas will benefit from …
… the high levels of education and skills of a proactive people. 4
… the power to bring about innovations that change the world. 8
… an outstanding research and development network. 12
… an excellent business climate. 16
… a linchpin player in the heart of Europe – the world’s biggest single market. 20
… top-notch infrastructure and logistics. 24
… world-famous standards of quality. 28
… the world export champion. 32
… a cosmopolitan society. 36
… a high standard of living. 40
… unique capabilities to develop technologies of the future. 44
“ Welcome to the Land of Ideas.”It is not without reason that modern-day Germany enjoys a fi ne reputation in the eyes of the world. Our country stands for inventive talent, hard work, and the ability to organise. It is recognised as a nation of great cultural richness, with a peaceful social climate, legal security, long experience of success in world markets, and topquality products. Germany is also a place to discover magnifi cent land scapes, a wide variety of cuisine, and heart-felt hospitality. We are 80 million people living in the very heart of Europe, looking forward to getting to know you. People with inquiring and creative minds, and the courage to innovate. Our country has produced eminent scientists and inventors. German engineers are held in high regard throughout the world. We have put ideas into practice that have brought important advances to humanity. And we intend to carry on doing so. But come here and see for yourself how easily you can turn your ideas into reality. Welcome to Germany – the Land of Ideas.
Yours sincerely,
Federal President of Germany
The Federal President Horst Köhler at the Fraunhofer Institute in Itzehoe, getting to know “Lab-on-a-Chip” – an electrical biochip technology that was awarded the German Future Award for Innovation and Technology in 2004.
Share your ideas with people that believe in the power of ideas.
1 Human Resources Thousands gather at the Brandenburg Gate: the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was perceived the world over as the symbol of Germany’s reunification.
We invented the kindergarten. And the university in its modern form.
1810. Wilhelm von Humboldt establishes the University of Berlin (now known as the Humboldt University
of Berlin). It is the first university to combine research and teaching – the
modern university is born.
Germany is known as a land of poets and thinkers.
However, theory alone is insufficient; therefore, state
institutions and commercial enterprises collaborate
to provide education for a skilled labour force. We
call it the “dual system” and this is how it works:
companies offer practical training, vocational schools
do the teaching. Around 60% of school leavers take
advantage of this two-pronged approach every year.
We take care to align vocational education to the
needs of the economy, creating new professional
profiles for specialists in areas such as mechatro-
nics in the automobile industry, IT systems techno-
logy or electronics for buildings and infrastructure.
We operate more universities and colleges than any
other country in Europe – 366 to be precise; the
oldest of which is also one of the most modern: the
University of Heidelberg was founded in 1386 and
continues to rank among the best in the country.
Germany’s thirteen technical universities also have
a long tradition: while focusing research on the most
innovative technologies, they turn out highly quali-
fied engineers, physicists and computer scientists.
In addition, there are 167 universities of applied
sciences where teaching is conducted with a strong
emphasis on practical relevance. In this way, future
engineers acquire not only outstanding plan ning
skills, but also learn how to incorporate their ideas
efficiently into company production processes.
Germany is investing more in education than ever
before. Expenditure has increased by 38% over the
last seven years. In addition, close to EUR 2 billion
is available to support top research projects at
selected universities.
In 2005 Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller took the reins
of the mechanical engineering company Trumpf –
annual turnover EUR 1.4 billion. The company is
the world market leader in laser technology, and
Europe’s largest manufacturer of machine tools.
Her goal? To expand her company’s innovation leader-
ship. She has picked up her technical understand-
ing in the course of her professional career, but
her leadership style is a gift of personality. Now
she wants her colleagues to challenge her, in order
to drive the company’s potential for innovation.
And she is the best example: with a good education
and the right spirit you can take on any challenge.
In her own words: “The ability to lead is really a
question of attitude.”
A literature graduateheads up the laser world market leader.
1 Human Resources
1840. Friedrich Fröbel sets up the first kindergarten. The idea
takes off around the world, allowing children – long before
they start school – to learn together, through play.
1971. Armin Maiwald and his team launch “The Show with the Mouse”. Each week the little
mouse reveals and explains everyday mysteries to pre-school children. The
mouse is now known in more than 100 countries.
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“The single biggest asset which Germany has is its people and their spirit.”
Fred B. IrwinPresident American Chamber of Commerce in Germany
The Freie Universität Berlin is one of the world’s leading universities, collaborating with international com-panies and fostering 121 partnerships with other universities all over the world. Since 2005, the City of Berlin has boasted a new highlight: the university’s new philological library. The “Berlin Brain” was designed by the British architect, Sir Norman Foster.
Together with four colleagues, Hasso Plattner set up
the software company SAP in 1972. It becomes a
global business. Plattner has his own precise views
on how people should be educated to become high
achievers, and in 1998 he founds the Hasso Plattner
Institute at Potsdam University, near Berlin. It is the
first and only institution in Germany where IT systems
engineering is taught – with a commercial and interna-
tional focus. The chairman of the supervisory board of
SAP finances the institute entirely by himself - to the
tune of EUR 200 million – and involves himself in
research and teaching. In addition to this, through
Hasso Plattner Ventures, he promotes founders of
fledgling IT companies who want to bring their
ideas to the international market.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board teaches at his own institute.
Alexander, Oliver and Marc Samwer studied marke-
ting, economics and law, and together the brothers
are experts in making ideas successful in the short-
est possible time. As eBay gets underway in the USA,
they make the concept work for the German mar-
ket in no time, calling it Alando. The result? eBay
buys Alando. They stay on in the management, and
make Germany the most profitable eBay market.
One year on, the three brothers set up a company
called Jamba, selling ringtones, games and
pictures for mobile phones. The result this time?
In 2004 they sell Jamba to the US company Verisign.
Three brothers set up one successful business after another.
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Your ideas are in good company. Germany is Europe’s leader in patents.
2 Innovations
Dr. Stephanie Krüger doesn’t get much time to unwind. She is the nanotechnology patent inspector at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in Munich.
Ideas change the world.Every 23 minutes.
2 Innovations
On average a German patent is registered every
23 minutes at the European Patent Office. In 2004
alone, this amounted to 23,044. No matter whether
based in a small garage or a large research depart-
ment, Germans have come up with a host of eminent
inventions: the computer, aspirin, or the teddy bear.
This richness in ideas remains unabated today – the
Mars camera, the chip card, and the 3-D microscope
are all German inventions. We are especially good
at aircraft and automobile manufacturing; we excel
in mechanical engineering, and in laser-, environ-
mental-, nano- and biotechnologies. Thus, with a
16.2% share of worldwide trade in research-inten-
sive goods, Germany is top of the global league –
alongside the USA.
Passionate inventors, we never rest contented with
past accomplishments. In 2004, over 60% of German
industrial companies either launched new products
or optimised their production processes. Inventing
the MP3 format, we have created a revolution in the
music industry. No sooner had this been accomplish-
ed than German scientists applied themselves to
major contributions in the development of new
audio and video coding for the MPEG standard.
Films can now run on pocket-sized players. It is no
coincidence that so many good inventions come out
of Germany. 397 innovation and incubator centres
look after the needs of 12,000 companies and start-
ups. This is why Germany has become one of the
most innovative places in Europe, a place where a
garage-based operation can transform itself quick-
ly into a successful business: where good ideas can
translate themselves quickly into successful products.
We love our cars. But we love our forests just as much, so we go to great lengths to preserve our natural surround-ings. Biomass fuels, for example, reduce harmful emissions by up to 50%. This, and many other ideas, make Germany a global market leader in environmental protection technology.
What makes this possible is a new technology gene-
rating energy from biomass: recovered wood, straw
and grass is converted into the synthetic biofuel
“SunFuel”. The German company Choren Industries
has come up with this revolutionary process, and
has over EUR 400 million earmarked for invest-
ment in production facilities. Shell Deutschland
Oil GmbH is getting involved. By 2020, around a
quarter of Germany’s energy needs may be met by
biomass fuel, making Germany significantly less
dependent on the oil markets.
A new fuel has been developed in Germany.Made from wood.
1938. Fed up with doing calculations in his head, Konrad Zuse invents the
computer, becoming the founding father of
the information age.
1969. Jürgen Dethloff and Helmut Göttrup register a patent for a plastic
card with an integral circuit. A small idea, but a great success. Today,
chip cards with micro-processors can be found in every wallet, facili-
tating payments, telecommunications, medical services and a host of other
things making for a better life.
1891. Otto Lilienthal takes off on his first 25 metre
glide-flight, inaugurating the modern art of flying.
10
It wasn’t that hard, after all. We just watched how the
birds do it: and thus, Otto Lilienthal derived the prin-
ciple of lift. We have only added a few details to his
concept of flying: jet engines, cabin service plus a few
hundred seats. Germany, along with its European
partners, is building the world’s largest passenger
aircraft, the Airbus A380. Germany is the largest
Airbus location, with over 21,000 employees.
We made the dream of fl ying come true.
In 1886 Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the
automobile. What a treat for humankind! German car
manufacturers today are responsible for registering
around 3,000 patents each year. Take a glimpse at
some of them: ABC, ABS, ACC, ADS, AHL, ARS, AS,
ASC+T, ASD, ASF, ASR, AUC, BAS, CAN, CBC, CISS,
DDE, DME, DSG, EDC, ESP, EWB, H2R, HDC, MID,
PCR, PDC, RPA, SBC, TMC, UDS, VTG, W12, ZAS, etc*
We can’t stop reinventing the car.
German chemistry makes your television flat.
Wilhelm-Conrad Röntgen discove-red x-rays in 1895, revolutionising diagnostic medicine. Today, Siemens Medical Solutions is revolutionising x-ray technology. Somatom Definition provides three-dimensional x-ray images, sharper than any scalpel. With its two x-ray tubes, the world’s first Dual Source Computer Tomography system (DSCT) produces images of unparalleled brilliance and at unmatched speed. In this way, a beating heart can be viewed and exami-ned with the benefit of high reso-lution – all with less than half of the x-ray dose required by current systems and without a scalpel.
* See the index to find out what the abbreviations stand for.
Manfred von Ardenne succeeded in making the
first television broadcast over 70 years ago. The
flat screens of today deliver television pictures of
unprecedented sharpness. Paving the way, chemical
company Merck KGaA produced the liquid crystals
which first made this possible. This global market
leader is renowned for its wealth of ideas, holding
more than 2,500 patents for liquid crystals.
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The market for LCD television screens is growing strongly: around 20 million appliances were sold across the world in 2005. Manufacturers expect to nearly double their turnover for 2006.
The Airbus A380 is the result of unparalleled European cooperation: the largest passenger aircraft ever built embodies about ten years of development and some of the finest German technology.
Let one of the leading scientific communities develop even more ideas for you.
3 Research and Development
Germany is Europe’s no.1 location for research, say
business leaders from all over the world in a 2005
survey. And it’s true! After the USA, Germany is the
world’s second-largest research location for multi-
national companies. These companies invest over
EUR 12 billion annually here, in research and develop-
ment. And the German government provides ad-
ditional support to research projects, to the tune of
EUR 5.6 billion.
There is a reason why our success is global: uni-
versities, state-sponsored research institutions and
companies share their expertise to form “clusters”.
These successful networks are open to new partners:
if your business is actively working on research-
intensive innovations, you can harness the best
experts in the field. Many international compa-
nies have already benefited from the specialised
know-how embodied in these clusters. An example
of this is to be found in the Rhine-Main region
where fourteen universities and ten research insti-
tutes conduct research on materials – a research
cluster quite unique in Europe.
Germany is characterised by a decentralised research
landscape which has deep historical roots.
Research is undertaken everywhere, and it is not con-
fined just to urban areas. World-class research is
being carried out in places like the beautiful Swabian
Alb region, in Baden-Württemberg, the home also
of leading developers and producers specialising in
surgical instruments and operating-theatre equip-
ment. Centres of excellence like this exist all over
Germany, covering all the important fields of innova-
tion – such as information nano- or biotechnology.
Just imagine where your ideas could go from Germany.
In 2004 alone, German-based companies exported
EUR 394 billion of research-intensive goods.
Space and time. We’ve looked into that. Have you got anything new for us?
3 Research and Development
“There are very good scientists here as wellas state funded technology programs. It‘salso close to the many technologieswe rely on.”
Armin PfohOperations Manager of General Electric Global Research – Europe
1900. “Nature does not make leaps” – an iron principle of the natural sciences.
But Max Planck looks a little closer into it, and recognises that light bulbs
transmit their light in discreet energy packages, or energy quanta. This disco-very makes him the father of quantum
theory, and revolutionises physics.
Germany has one of the largest publicly-funded infrastructures for research in the world. Groupedtogether under the auspices of four large societies, there are257 separate institutes employing over 70,000 people, carrying out research in all areas of science and technology. Along the whole range from basic research to R&D for industrial purposes, investors in Germany benefit greatly from state-sponsored research work.
1931. Ernst Ruska and his team invented the electron microscope. Two
years later, magnifications by a factor of 12,000 are possible. The scientific
community is delighted by this glimpse into the micro-cosmos.
1997. The German Aerospace Center develops the HRSC Mars
Camera. In 2004 it captures three-dimensional images of the surface
of Mars from its position on board the Mars Express space probe.
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The Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Gemein-
schaft and the Leibniz Gemeinschaft are all think-tanks
in industry-oriented research, without any real equiva-
lents the world over. Any company can benefit – a phone
call is all that is required. International teams develop
bespoke solutions for each and every problem.
In some cases, the solution is already available before
the problem arises. With the benefit of publicly-finan-
ced projects, Fraunhofer researchers, for example, can
afford to look far ahead into the future and work on
problems whose impact the economy or society will
only feel five or ten years hence. They closely cooperate
with companies and universities. Students and
graduates apply their knowledge, gaining valuable
experience that they can put to good use when taking
on new challenges in the world of business. In Germany
there are over 80 Fraunhofer Institutes and associated
institutions, covering all the main technological
branches – and 15 Helmholtz Gemeinschaft Institu-
tes. The Leibniz Gemeinschaft consists of 84 institu-
tes to lend support to your application-based research.
We like to find solutions before the problems find us.
The Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) has produced
eleven Nobel Prize laureates in the last 25 years, put-
ting it in the same league as Harvard and Stanford
Universities. The network of 78 institutes sets stan-
dards in many areas of basic research. In the month-
ly citation index, MPG scientists compete neck and
neck with the world’s most renowned research in-
stitutes: in January 2006, MPG scientists were the
most quoted in physics, chemistry and material
science. As for space research, their findings were
referred to even more often than NASA’s.
We love to be in the laboratory. Or in Stockholm.
Always appropriately dressed and rather curious – the penguins seem to have acquired these habits from German scientists, who, indeed, abound in the Antarctic. After inaugurating our new polar station, Neumayer III, there will be even more. Germany is enhancing its position at the top of polar research, and the penguins are looking forward to more company. That’s cool.
In three to four years’ time, computer-chip manufacturing processes will come up against their limits. The Dutch company Philips is therefore working alongside the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology and the Technical University of Aachen, to develop a key component for a new manufacturing process – foreven more powerful computer chips. The “Aachen Lamp” scores top marks in international comparisons, and it will be ready to be launched on the market, right on time, in 2009. Large clients like Intel are already lining up for the new technology.
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We deregulate, to offer an even better business climate for your ideas.
4 Business Climate
In the biosphere laboratory at Bayer CropScience, vulnerable agricultural crops are given better protection against pests and diseases. Modern German plant protection science ensures richer harvests all over the world.
No other highly industrialised nation has improved
the general business climate for companies as com-
prehensively as Germany has – according to the
World Bank’s “Doing Business 2006” study. To start
with, Germany offers investors an internationally
competitive taxation system. Income tax rates for
high earners were substantially reduced last year;
and, at 16%, VAT is comparatively low. The time re-
quired for political decision-making processes is be-
ing reduced, while the average working life of em-
ployees is being extended. Additional social costs are
brought down, and job security legislation is made
more flexible. America’s Heritage Foundation and
the Wall Street Journal both consider Germany to
be one of the world’s 20 “free economies”.
The social market economy in Germany has been
continuously modernised over the last few years –
a task continued since 2005 by a stable government
which has the support of 70% of the electorate. As
the figures show, the reforms are working and the
climate for investment continues to improve: produc-
tivity is up, and unit labour costs are down.
Investment requires security. Germany is a reliable
and transparent constitutional state under the rule
of law, whose administrative and legal system is con-
sidered exemplary by many other nations. Bureau-
cracy, outdated laws and regulations are radically dis-
mantled, with characteristic German thoroughness,
of course: for example, the state of Baden-Württem-
berg has recently dismantled half its administrative
regulations.
Inventions, patents, brands and intellectual property
are all strictly protected in Germany. And if you are
faced with the prospect of having to defend your
ideas, in the courts of first instance, civil proceedings
are completed within less than five months on average.
In Germany, investors are supported by regional
agencies. These help to set up companies and en-
sure, for example, that building permits can be swift-
ly obtained. In this way, investors are not impeded
by administrative issues and can instead focus all
efforts on making their business a success.
Germans might not have much of a sense of humour, but they sure can put a smile on investors’ faces.
4 Business Climate
They were in a hurry at Q-Cells. The authorities, too. Allthe formalities were dealt with quickly and unbureau-cratically, allowing the construction of the first solar cell manufacturing plant to be completed in just seven months. Today, Q-Cells is the world’s second largest producer of solar cells, shipping its wares out to all four corners of theglobe. The cells are also in use at the Solarpark Erlasee. Set up by Solon AG, this is Germany’s largest solar power plant, where the photo-voltaic installations turn themselves automatically towards the sun.
1785. The philosopher Immanuel Kant defines reason and free will as the
basis of all human action – and formu-lates the concept of the categorical
imperative, thereby laying the foundation stone of the modern consti-
tutional state under the rule of law.
1955. Germany pulls off the “Economic Miracle” – and the one millionth VW Beetle conquers
the roads. More than 20 million Beetles were built before production
ceased in 2003, making it one of the best-selling cars in the world.
1997. Deutsche Börse AG (the German stock exchange)
develops Xetra, an electronic trading system. On this platform,
shares worth in excess of EUR 10 billion are traded every day. Xetra has since been adopted by exchanges in
Dublin, Vienna and Shanghai.
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This is owing to the good climate for research and
development, and all the other business “fertilisers”
which the German state offers to entrepreneurs: loan
guarantees, investment grants, technology sponsor-
ship and SME programmes. The Federal Government,
together with BASF, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens and
the KfW Bankengruppe (KfW Banking Group), sup-
ports recently established technology companies by
means of a high-tech start-up fund – seed capital and
management advice included. This makes Germany a
veritable hothouse for business growth.
We keep the road to success short.
Germany
Great Britain
USA
Sweden
Average EU 15
Norway
Ireland
Finland
Spain
8
30
41
44
79
128
93
287
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*Average annual days lost to strike per 1,000 employees from 1981 to 2003
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and, just one year
later, the two German states were politically,
legally and economically united. The fulfilment
of a great dream – and an immense achievement.
Adjusting the socialist planned economy to fit
into a market economy situation was achieved in
a very short space of time and, 16 years after the
unification, Eastern Germany is one of the most
modern regions in the world. Roads, communi-
cations, production facilities: almost everything
is at the highest technological level. Over half a
million medium-size companies benefit from the
resources of “Aufbau Ost” (literally – “building up
the east”).
We’ve overcome the separation of East and West. We’re eager for new challenges.
In 2005 the American chip manufacturer AMD opened its second wafer manufacturing facility in Dresden. The facility is one of the most modern in the world. With the support from the Federal State of Saxony, the Federal Government and the European Union, the project was completed in the shortest time. It took less than two years from breaking ground to commissioning the new plant. AMD is currently focusing its micro -processor manufacturing on the Saxon capital.
“Few countries have a lower incidence of strikes than Germany. Companies and their employees work together constructively. The good working atmosphere benefits your investment.” Source: Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft, Cologne.
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“Germany has worked to improve itselfsignificantly more than other majorEuropean countries. As a result of thereforms, Germany has become distinctlymore attractive for foreign investors.”
Lorenzo CodognoCo-Chief Economist, Bank of America
5 European Market
Sell your ideas to the largest single market in the world.
Some 150 youngsters dancing in the streets of Berlin – that’s how the Love Parade was born. Just a few years later, the event attracts more than a million visitors from all over the world.
The larger the market, the larger the profit op-
portunities. Europe is the world’s largest single
market in terms of purchasing power. 450 million
consumers spent around EUR 6.28 trillion in 2005.
And Germany, Europe’s most important market,
is right at the centre. 82 million citizens live here,
with a combined purchasing power in 2005 of EUR
1.26 trillion – more than EUR 15,000 per person.
Germany is the perfect location from which to sup-
ply the European market. No other country in Europe
has so many neighbours – nine countries border
Germany, and the eastward enlargement positions
us in the centre of the EU. One third of all member
states are on our doorstep. This makes Germany an
ideal trading location in Europe.
Five of the ten largest European food trading com-
panies in terms of turnover have their headquarters
in Germany – and more than four million people
are employed either in wholesale or retail trade.
Germany is also one of the front-runners in global
e-commerce. Over 30% of the goods and services
offered for sale in Western Europe over the internet
are traded here. And growth is immense: in 2005
alone, turnover in electronic trade increased by 58%
to EUR 321 billion.
We are not that comfortable taking centre-stage. But it’s the best way of reaching everyone.
5 European Market
“Success in Germany is critical to ourEuropean performance.”
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Head of Global Sales and Operations, at the Indian IT-Company Tata Consultancy Services
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1240. German Kaiser Friedrich II bestows the title of trade fair city on the free city state of Frankfurt. Since that
time, Frankfurt has been hosting the world’s first ongoing trade fair.
1860. Philipp Reis develops a machine for sound transmission by means of electro-magnetic waves
– the first telephone – 16 years before Alexander Graham Bell
presents his device.
2002. A new leading international currency is brought into circulation with the introduction of the Euro.
Every coin symbolises the European concept of “unity in variety”. The tail sides of these coins depict symbols
representing the member states. The Euro facilitates trade especially
between 12 Euro-zone countries.
In the course of a ten-hour working day, you will be able to make calls within business hours to almost any country in the world. Tokyo or Los Angeles, you can gethold of your business partners at their desks. How come? Germany’s geographical situation in the Central European time zone makes for an ideal location in a globalised world. Small wonder the telephone was invented here.
22
“Germany‘s geographic position isexceptional. Every global player shouldestablish a strong foothold for theirbusiness here.”
Burkhard SchwenkerCEO Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
Germany is the world’s shop window.
Norway Sweden Finland
Estonia
Latvia
LithuaniaDanmark
PolandGermany
Czech Republik
France
Spain
Portugal
UnitedKingdom
Ireland
Netherlands
BelgiumLuxembourg
Switzerland Austria
Italy
Slowenia
Hungary
Slovakia
Greece Turkey
Bulgaria
Ukraina
Romania
The country in which the car was invented also hosts the largest motor show in the world. Over 1,000 exhibitors display their concept cars of the future at the
“Internationalen Automobil Ausstellung”, or “IAA”, in Frankfurt/Main.
Who will be the no.1 in tomorrow’s digital world? This is a question decided at the world-leading information and communication technology trade fair – CeBIT – in Hanover.
From Germany, you can reach 450 million people within three hours’ flying time, be they in Barcelona, London or Helsinki. The EU’s eastward enlargement positions Germany as a bridge to the continent’s emerging economies.
23
As early as 800 years ago, the continent’s trading
routes crossed our country – a lasting feature: today,
two thirds of all global industry trade fairs take place
in Germany. Each year, 160,000 exhibitors present
their goods and services to 10 million visitors. Five of
the ten largest global trade fair organisers are based
in Germany.
For many industries, the largest global trade fairs
take place in Germany. Here is just a small selection
of what is on offer: The “Hannover Messe” is
Deutsche Messe AG’s industrial show; “Ambiente” in
Frankfurt am Main is the consumer show; “drupa“
in Düsseldorf is the trade show for printing machi-
nes, “ITB” in Berlin is the tourism fair; “Bauma” in
Munich is the construction industry fair. And then
there is, of course, the Frankfurt Book Fair. Cologne
hosts “ANUGA” – the top food fair – drawing around
5,000 international exhibitors to Germany each year.
6 Infrastructure and Logistics
The Autobahn – really, a childhood dream come true.
Your ideas will gather speed on a world-class infrastructure.
We are supposed to be a punctual and reliable lot,
maybe even a little over-meticulous at times. There
might just be something to it; Germany is, after all,
a leading player in logistics – where punctuality and
a passion for the perfect outcome are at a premium.
And thanks to the high level of automation, logistics
is one of our most successful industry sectors, grow-
ing at an above-average rate.
Deutsche Post World Net is the world’s largest logis-
tics company. Its new European hub is under con-
struction at Leipzig Airport where, from 2012 on-
wards, 2,000 tonnes of freight will be processed and
shipped every night, a weight corresponding to
28,500 washing machines.
Ours is one of the most highly developed transport
networks. Transport by road, rail, ship and air: all
the systems link up neatly, with 33 commercial tran-
sit hubs connecting the different transport routes.
More than 1,200 companies have successfully set
up operations at these important hubs.
This is how we are able to pull off logistical master-
strokes time and time again. Be it a furniture sup-
plier or a supermarket, retailers need almost no on-
site storage capacity anymore. Our logistics centres
are hard at work, during the night, to make sure
that the products needed in factories or shops will
be delivered the next day.
Our strong position in logistics is due to the excel-
lent educational standards attained by skilled la-
bour and management. More than 100 German uni-
versities teach Logistics and Transport – of which the
Technical University of Berlin is the most renowned.
Here, teams of students from 25 different nations
collaborate to work out logistics solutions for trade
and industry.
Logistics – a business made for Germans.
Conveniently situated and benefiting from excellent
infrastructure, many of Germany’s regions have be-
come logistics centres. One of these regions is
Northern Hesse – Bad Hersfeld to be precise. The
town takes a leading position in logistics solutions
for “intelligent” production processes, hubs and
replacement part delivery in Germany and Europe.
Numerous international companies and brand
leaders have established their distribution centres
in the area. Amazon is a good example. On a peak
day, 400,000 products leave the online trader’s
logistics centre.
The Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA has found
the conditions in the North-Rhine-Westphalian city
of Dortmund ideal for its European distribution
operation. In time, the majority of IKEA’s European
outlets will be serviced from this distribution point.
Customers in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands
already receive their goods direct from Dortmund.
Our transport routes extend right across the world.
6 Infrastructure and Logistics
Germany is famous for its Autobahns. To keep it that way,we are continuously investing in the expansion and the main-tenance of our road network – in the order of EUR 80 billion in the next few years. We have recently completed one of our biggest construction projects: the Ostseeautobahn (Baltic Auto-bahn), which now connects Hamburg to Stettin, via Lübeck. This gives us excellent access to Eastern Europe – and goods get to their destinations that much quicker.
Hamburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. It’s
just a pity merchant seamen can’t enjoy it. After all, Hamburg is one of the fastest and
most efficient ports in the world. Altenwerder, the
container terminal, leads the way for the future of container hand-
ling – and prospects look bright. Container traffic with the Far East
has more than doubled since 2000, making Hamburg the most important European port in terms
of container traffic with China.
Germany has the highest density of airports in Europe. There are 17 internati-onal and more than 40 regional airports here. Frankfurt Airport isthe largest of them – and it’s alsoEurope’s most important air cargohub: 1.9 million tonnes being handled annually. The airport was nominated “Cargo Airport of the Year” in 2004 and 2005. Experts forecast growth of over 50% by 2015.
At over 12,000 kilometres, Germany’s motorway grid is one of the largest in the world: 12,000 km in total – the distance from Berlin to Buenos Aires. Rather striking, considering the size of our country. But the best thing about it: there are no speed limits on more than half of the network.
Germany has over 7,300 km of navigable waterways, meaning you can travel by boat from the Black Sea to the North Sea. Of the 74 urban regions of Germany, 56 are connected to this waterway network.
There are more than 40,000 km of railway tracks in Germany, enough to circle the globe.
1490. The future German Kaiser Maximilian I commissions Franz von Taxis to set up a postal service in his
empire. It is the world’s first continuously operated postal
and transport service based on a uniform system
of service rates.
1896. Gottlieb Daimler constructs the very first lorry. Its 4 BHP engine
manages a payload of 1.5 tonnes.
1971. Hermann Kemper’s idea of a vehicle based on magnetic levitation embarks on its maiden voyage - the Transrapid. The Chinese city of
Shanghai has been connected to its airport in this way since 2003.
26 27
Machines just cannot replace the human feel for quality: at Volkswagen’s “Transparent Factory” in Dresden, cars are made almost entirely by hand.
7 Quality
Let your ideas be “Made in Germany”.
Buyers seek quality. That true the world over. For us,
quality means “Made in Germany”. And it is no coin-
cidence that this sober statement of origin has become
a distinct brand. We set great store by durability, re-
liability, experience, training and brand protection.
“Made in Germany” is a seal of quality which applies
equally to our engineers as well as our products.
German specialists are highly qualified, and strive
for precision. Take Carl Zeiss in Jena : renowned -
for more than 150 years - for the ultimate in precision
lenses and microscopes. Or the master clockmakers
at A. Lange & Söhne in Glashütte. Each clock part is
made to the micrometer, assembled and carefully
regulated. Then they are taken apart, cleaned, and
finally the clockwork is reassembled for good. When
it comes to “Made in Germany”, every second counts,
every gram and every millimetre.
And because we love quality so much, we have intro-
duced standards for it. In Germany, a special authority
is responsible for defining norms, the “Deutsche
Institut für Normung e.V.” – better known as DIN.
Our norm specialists are in demand all over the world;
German experts are represented in 90% of the com-
mittees at the International Organisation for Standar-
disation (ISO).
Safety also depends on quality. From toys and medical
appliances to complex industrial facilities – they
are all subject to the scrutiny of the experts at the
Technischer Überwachungsverein (TÜV, Technical
Inspection Authority). Certified quality is a precious
asset, for consumers depend on it, business part-
ners aspire to it, and courts enforce it to make pro-
duct liability meaningful.
We’re great lovers. Of quality.
7 Quality
In Germany companies comply not only with the
legal standards: it is not uncommon for them to
subject themselves to self-regulation. Making for
top-quality products and a high standard of living.
Our food is also subject to strict controls extending
to the most basic: air, soil and water.
Over 1,500 agricultural enterprises or processing
businesses subject themselves to regular voluntary
inspections, so that their products can be sold with
the “Bio” (organic) seal. 30,000 products carry this
recognised symbol. And the market for organic
goods just grows and grows. In 2004, turnover
reached EUR 3.5 billion.
Guten Appetit, especially to your kids.
Quality for life: the market for organic food is growing in Germany. Claus Hipp is considered a pioneer in this fi eld. For over 50 years, the producer of baby food has focused on creating food products in tune with nature. Today, his com-pany is the world’s largest processor of organic-biological raw materials.
1516. The better the quality of beer, the less severe the hangovers, Duke Wilhelm IV thinks to himself, and in-
troduces the German “Reinheitsgebot” (law of beer purity). It is the very
first example of a quality standard for food products.
1958. Artur Fischer invents the rawlplug. At present, Fischer has registered patents covering
1,100 products.
1980. Petri AG and Mecedes-Benz jointly developed the steering-wheel mounted driver airbag: Precision work that can save a life in a matter of 30 milliseconds. Airbags are stan-
dard equipment in every modern car.
30
“It‘s remarkable that Germany even trumps the US as a producer of branded products.”
Simon AnholtEditor of “Anholt-GMI Nation Brands-Index”
“In our tough and competitive business, success is only achieved by producing innovations that really inspire customers - and combining those innovations with the highest quality and reliability. To achieve this, Audi relies on the knowledge and motivation of its 45,000 staff in Germany.”
Prof. Dr Martin WinterkornCEO, AUDI AG
We want functionality and perfection to look good.
Which is why we inaugurated one of the world’s
largest design competitions: the Red Dot Design
Award. Each year manufacturers and designers from
over 40 different countries battle it out for an award
in one of the industrial product categories. Today,
the Red Dot is more than a competition – it is the
hallmark of the best in design and business.
Form follows function. And awards often follow close behind.
Basler AG produces machines designed to control machines. Many of its products make the company a global market leader for optical quality control.
German brands are popular throughout the world because they stand for unvaryingly good quality.
31
By 2011, up to 30 Galileo satellites will form a satellite navigation network to be used anywhere in the world. Implementation of the European project rests with one of Germany’s space flight control centres.
Discover new markets for your ideas. With the world export champion.
8 Export
Germany is the world export champion: in 2005
alone, we exported goods valued at over US$ 900
billion - roughly 10% of world trade. What does it
take to get there? Quality products sought after
throughout the world. And a flair for international
markets. Government bodies and commercial asso-
ciations alike support Germany’s exporting busines-
ses: the German Office for Foreign Trade (Bundes-
agentur für Außenwirtschaft), embassies, consulates,
foreign chambers of commerce, business development
agencies, all offering competence and commitment
to help open up markets and establish new
business relationships. Via the iXPOS internet plat-
form, several key players involved in promoting
German foreign trade offer their services-targeting
medium-sized companies amongst others. The sys-
tem has proven its worth. We understand the glo-
bal marketplace better than any other country. And
thanks to our excellent logistics, we are quick to
respond to opportunities.
German export feats bring to mind automobiles,
mechanical engineering and chemistry. But Germany
is also very successful in other sectors: communi-
cations technology, electrical machines and ap-
pliances, medical and optical precision instruments.
More than 900 German medium-sized companies
occupy leading positions on the world’s markets.
They are technology leaders in their industries, in-
vesting on a global level in close-to-the-customer
operations for sales, marketing and distribution.
And they succeed in products as diverse as coffee-
roasting machines, conference equipment, high-
pressure cleaning systems, canteen kitchen tech-
nology, flavours, perfumes, and motorised saws.
We are even involved in extraterrestrial export:
German technology orbits the Earth aboard a Galileo
test satellite, and our special camera, mounted on
the “Mars Express” space probe, is taking wonder-
ful pictures of the red planet. But one export area is
declining: CO2. Since 1990, we have reduced our CO2
emissions by 18.5%, nearly meeting the requirements
laid down in the Kyoto Protocol.
8 Export
Our strongest exportsectors in 2004 Percentage of German
production exported
Cars
Mechanicalengineering
Chemical industry
22%
19%
13%
71%
70%
70%
Percentage of the global market
1974. The crime serial “Derrick” makes its TV debut - and playwright
Herbert Reinecker launches a great export success. Today,
Chief Inspector Derrick is known to people in 100 countries – from
Australia to Zimbabwe.
BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Germany, Opel, Porsche, Volkswagen – one in five vehicles produced in 2005 represented a German brand. While loving our cars, we are happy to share them: over 70% of domestic production is exported – via the Bremerhaven Autoter-minal, for instance, where luxury vehicles are loaded for shipment to overseas markets.
1879. Felix Hoffmann develops the first non-perishable and
innocuous pain killer, soon to be widely known as “Aspirin”.
A milestone in medical history.
1949. Fritz Stastny develops styrofoam. Though consisting of
98% of air, it is rugged and durable, making it perfectly suited for export –
as a packing material.
34
A sweet idea becomes a global success.
In 1920 Hans Riegel from Bonn sets up his own
company – Haribo. Two years later he invents the
“Dancing Bear”, the figure of a bear made from fruit
gum, which later becomes world-famous as the Haribo
Goldbear. By the end of the 1920s, Hans Riegel estab-
lishes his first business contacts abroad.
The Goldbear has since conquered the world. Today
it is a synonym for fruit jelly sweets. Haribo exports
to 105 countries – over 100 million Goldbears leave the
production plants every day.
Five young entrepreneurs in North Baden set up SAP
in 1972. Unable to afford their own computer, they
manage to report a turnover of EUR 317,000 in their
first year of business. Today, SAP is the world’s third
largest independent software supplier, with an annual
turnover of EUR 8.5 billion. 32,000 customers in 120
countries employ SAP software and business applica-
tions. The key to success: favourable local conditions,
know-how, and creative, committed employees. And
SAP is not the only company knowing how to suc-
ceed: the German information and communication
technology industry contributes over 11% to total
exports – and the trend is upward.
In Germany you can make it big. Even if you start off small.
From Mount Rushmore and the hill of Corcovado to the Valley of the Kings – around the globe, German technology ensures the world is kept clean. Kärcher is a world brand leader in cleaning technology, exporting its appliances to over 160 countries. The family-owned company shares its success by cleaning some of the world’s most famous monuments – at its own expense.
35
You can be successful anywhere in the world. As long as you’re in Germany.
Millions of people from all over the world have enjoyed German hospitality. So will you.
9 Cosmopolitanism
Germans love their beer. Especially in the company of good friends.
The Germans are world travel champions. No wonder
we are happy to accommodate visitors. People from
all over the world enrich life in Germany.
Numerous organisations promote a lively exchange
with other cultures and religions. Freedom of re-
ligion is anchored in our constitution – any faith
is welcome to feel at home in Germany; mosques,
churches, synagogues and temples attest to it. Over
120 different religious persuasions are represented
in Germany. Diversity and freedom of the press is
very dear to us. Nowhere will you find a more multi-
faceted media environment. A rich choice of specia-
list magazines, international publications and several
hundred daily newspapers are available everywhere.
Over seven million people from abroad live in
Germany. Düsseldorf on the banks of the Rhine
river is the location of choice for the European head-
quarters of Japanese companies. There are Japanese
restaurants, bookshops and schools. Communities
like this can be found in every major city. Hamburg,
for example, draws people from Portugal, while
Berlin is the favourite place of residence for Turkish
immigrants. There are an estimated 25,000 Chinese
students at German universities, while the multi-
lingual Viadrina European University in Frankfurt
an der Oder is particularly popular with Polish
students.
Economic factors aside, it is this cosmopolitan spirit
that helps to explain why some 22,000 foreign-
invested companies have set up business successfully
in Germany, generating an annual turnover of EUR
1 trillion and employing around three million people.
Few travel as much as we do. That’s why we know what hospitality is about.
9 Cosmopolitanism
He is young, he does not have much money, but he
does have an idea. The year is 2000 and 22-year old
Veit Kühne creates a hospitality portal on the inter -
net. Since then, members of hospitality club.org
have been able to find themselves a free bed for
the night, or a city tour. Over 120,000 people from
200 countries have become members. With over
22,000 members, Germany tops the list of regis-
tered hosts.
Neighbourly help, in a global village.
1909. The word’s first youth hostel is opened in Altena Castle, Hagen, by
teacher Richard Schirrmann. Today, thousands of people are able to find inexpensive accommodation in over
60 countries – whatever their age.
The Max Planck Institute enjoy an excellent global reputation. And at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, employees from 31 different countries carry out research together under one roof. The majority of leading positions is held by foreign scientists. In total, almost 6,000 people from all four corners of the world are employed by the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.
1650. Leipzig printer Timotheus Ritzsch publishes the first daily
newspaper. Called the “Einkommende Zeitungen”, it proves a hit with a fast-growing readership
keen on news from around the world.
1839. Karl Baedeker publishes the first modern travel guide.
His trademark: clarity and timeliness. Today, Baedeker accompanies travellers in over 150 countries.
38
The text book doubles as a passport.
Cosmopolitanism is the language of the future.
Germans study all over the world: which are the students‘ favourite places abroad?
1. Great Britain 2. USA 3. Switzerland 4. France 5. Austria 6. Spain 7. Netherlands 8. Sweden 9. Australia 10. Italy
The whole world studies in Germany: which countries do the most foreign students come from?
1. China 2. Poland 3. Bulgaria 4. Russian Federation 5. Morocco 6. Turkey 7. Ukraine 8. France 9. Cameroon 10. Austria
Germany is popular with students from all over the
world. More than 180,000 foreign students are en-
rolled at German universities – which is around 9%
of the total student population. Globally, this puts
Germany in third place – just behind the USA and
Great Britain.
German students are also keen to see the world:
around 3% of the world’s students studying away
from home are German – the third-largest group
behind the Koreans and Japanese. The German
Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) organises ex-
changes in both directions. More than 1.2 million
academics have been supported in their studies abroad.
Children in Germany learn early the importance of get-
ting along with one another – in the playground, or at
school. The first foreign language is introduced in a
growing number of kindergartens: and in the Saarland,
for example, bordering France, kindergartens actually
swap groups regularly with their French counterparts.
Second and third foreign languages are taught at
school, but there is no substitute for practical applica-
tion. This is why many children are not just learning
vocabulary at school: instead they benefit from bilin-
gual teaching – in all subjects. There are around 600
bilingual schools in Germany, the majority of which
teach in English and German - but Spanish, Russian,
French and Chinese are all on offer, too.
Our capital city has much cultural variety on offer. Of the 3.4 million people who live here, every seventh person has a foreign passport. This colourful mixture creates atmosphere, because every culture has its own festivals. So there is always something to celebrate. All that remains is to celebrate the cultures themselves – something which happens each year when the Culture Carnival parades through the streets of Berlin.
39
Great ideas deserve a high standard of living.
10 Living
Neuschwanstein in Bavaria is one of the most visited castles in Europe – but it’s just one of over 10,000 castles in Germany.
“No other European country has a wine and culinary culture as well-developed as Germany’s .”
Vincent MoissonnierChef at the “Le Moissonnier” restaurant
No other country in the world boasts as many “Sport-
vereine”, or sports clubs, as Germany does: some
90,000 of them invite you to stay fit or to improve the
health of body and soul. We have even invented a new
word for it: “Volkssport”, which more or less means
“fun for all”. As for exercise, Germans are always open
to new ideas. Big inline skating events take place
regularly in our cities, and it was on our cliff faces
that the first freestyle climbing took place. Playing
football, sailing, surfing, skiing, you name it, just
go ahead with it. For those who like to take it a little
easier, there are 650 golf courses and thousands of
fitness centres and health farms.
Sportverein. Making you sweat.
Art and music make our lives complete. We enjoy not
only the classics – Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, but
also contemporary stars from all over the world, from
Eminem and Robbie Williams to Anna Netrebko.
International stars love their German fan clubs, often
making several appearances in Germany during their
world tours. Sold-out stadiums and concert halls await
them in every major city – and in summer there are also
the big music festivals. Many music lovers of dif-
ferent genres regard these as fixed institutions: the
“Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival”, the “Hurricane”
in Scheessel, the “Ansbach Festival”, which honours
Johann Sebastian Bach, or the “Rock am Ring” held
at the Nürburgring racing circuit. As for smaller ven-
ues, countless clubs and pubs play host to small-scale
performing arts events, cabaret or spontaneously
organised jazz evenings.
Alternatively, you can make your own music. You
can hardly find an instrument that is not taught in
one of Germany’s numerous music schools. Or
join one of our many amateur orchestras.
Ta ta ta taaaaa … ta ta ta taaaaa …
A famous German song poses the question: “Why
is it so nice along the Rhine?” But it really should be
asking, “Why is it so nice along the Rhine, along the
Danube, the Neckar, the Elbe, the Mosel, the Weser
and the Spree?” Everywhere you go in Germany, you
will find an impressive blend of culture and nature.
This has a lot to do with Germany’s federal structure:
16 federal states (Bundesländer) vying for conten-
ted citizens makes for fruitful competition.
Each of the federal states takes great care of its
treasures – like the 31 places which UNESCO has
declared part of the Cultural and Natural World
Heritage. Then, there are our historic cities, with
their architectural masterpieces stretching back over
two millennia. And Germany‘s 6,000 museums.
Also, there are cultural highlight events up and down
the country – like “Art Cologne”, the “Richard
Wagner Festival” in Bayreuth, or the “Berlinale”,
the International Film Festival, attracting large num-
bers of celebrities from all over the world to the
capital city of Germany .
Germany is one of the safest countries in the world.
Our politicians stroll safely through a flea market,
the children of our managers take the bike to get to
school, and those who want to go jogging at night
can do so to their hearts’ content. However, daylight
tours are preferable so as to appreciate the surround-
ings more fully: even our major cities are green. In
Berlin, you might find yourself standing in a forest
all of a sudden: right in the city centre, the capital’s
“Tiergarten” park takes up a forested area sprawling
across two square kilometres. And Munich’s
“Englischer Garten” is nearly three times the size of
London’s Hyde Park.
Or let the countryside put you in the holiday mood.
The diversity of landscapes is unique – and we make
sure it stays that way. Inside and outside the 15 national
parks and 90 nature parks, you will find that culti-
vating the natural environment is a ubiquitous passion.
Among the most popular holiday destinations are
the Alps in the South with snow guaranteed, the
Palatinate Wine Route, the legendary Black Forest
and the white-sand beaches that fringe the North
Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Invest in Germany. And in your quality of life.
“Business trips have taken me all over the world, but I haven’t yet come across a country as wonderfully green as Germany.”
Yoichi TomiharaPresident of Toyota Deutschland GmbH
10 Living
If Berlin’s 55 square kilometres of green are not enough for you, a three-hour drive takes you to the Baltic Sea. And if you want to get out of Munich, an hour in the car will get you to Garmisch-Partenkirchen –a fine place for climbing or skiing on the slopes of the Zugspitze.
See state-of-the-art architecture emerge in Germany. Right in the middle of Hamburg’s port, for example, the star Swiss architects, Herzog & de Meuron are building the Elbphilharmonie (Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall) on the top of an old warehouse. The Elbphilharmonie is supposed to attract 1.7 million owners. Due to be completed in 2009, every citizen of Hamburg can take a stake in the structure, supporting the city’s new landmark – via the Elbphilharmonie Foundation.
You can really listen to your stomach in Germany. Sausage, pretzels, schweins-haxe (knuckle of pork) and sauerkraut are all famous around the world. And so is our bread, and our beer. Some- times it can be a little hard to choose between the 300 different types of bread and the 5,000 different beers. But we also have a great deal to offer to those with a finer palate: 200 award-winning restaurants invite you to feast the German way – enjoying exquisite food that satisfies the highest international standards. Germany’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, Sybille Milde is a good example. She was just 27 when she managed to convince the Michelin Guide connoisseurs of her skills.
1810. A corporal proposes a big party to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. A resounding success, the party
is repeated every year. The Oktoberfest is born, meanwhile
drawing six million visitors each year.
1907. Henkel launches the first modern detergent: “Persil”.
Oxygen release greatly facilitates the washing; and the lovely feeling
of freshly washed clothes can be had every day.
1992. The Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen comes up with a
world-beater: its digital audio format – MP3 – defines the international standard.
Now thousands of songs fit into your trouser pocket.
42 43
The Land of Ideas is a European leader in industries that will shape the future.
11 Technologies of the Future
From 2050 onwards, the first fusion power stations will be delivering the energy of the future. German scientists involved in the Stellarator project are developing and testing the requisite technology.
Some steps taken toward the future are small, but
their impact on tomorrow’s markets can be huge.
Germany believes in nanotechnology, and with public
funds in the order of EUR 290 million to back re-
search and development, it is Europe’s protagonist
in the field. Roughly half of all European nanotech
companies are based in Germany.
Europe’s most advanced microchip factories are
based in the State of Saxony. More than 750 pro-
ducers of semiconductors and component sup-
pliers have moved to the area around the AMD and
Infineon plants. They are busy, for Germany is the
world’s third-largest information and telecommuni-
cations technology market.
Biotechnology bolsters growth, playing a key role
in the future of industries involved in medicine,
chemistry, physics, information technology and
material science. There are 34 biotech regions in
Germany, inviting investors to benefit from their
know-how and skilled labour force. And the result:
second only to the USA and Japan, Germany regis-
ters the largest number of biotech patents at the
European Patent Office.
Not least of all for the benefit of our children, we
keep our eyes fixed on the future, paying much at-
tention to environmental technology. German com-
panies pave the way for renewable fuels and solar
technology. And fuel cells – the energy source of
the future. In fact, there are already practicable solu-
tions available in Germany: fuel cell systems that
do not depend on the electricity grid power traffic
monitoring equipment; in a few years’ time, the
technology may be powering laptops.
The optical industry’s future looks bright - 25%
of laser equipment used around the world is of
German origin. The market share in material
processing is about 40% and is set to increase.
It’s been said that we give too much thought to the future. Well, it’s our passion, after all.
11 Technologies of the Future
Water in the fast lane. The prototype H2R can go faster than 300 km per hour, it holds nine world records and runs on hydrogen. With the H2R, BMW proves that hydrogen can replace conventional fuel types without the need to com-promise on driving pleasure. Within the next two years, the Bavarian car maker will be launching a 7-Series BMW that runs on a hybrid dual hydrogen/petrol system.
2010. The market for “smart clothing” is buoyant –
clothing designed to prevent heart attack with embedded electronic
devices monitoring body functions and reporting irregularities. The
sensors are machine-washable and available over-the-counter.
2011. CargoCaps provides underground transport in the Ruhr
area – a duplex tube, 80 km in length, connects all the major
logistical centres, manufacturers and local distributors. More cost-effective
than lorries, and: no traffic jams.
2025. Aramies explores Mars by herself. The robotic cat is superior to wheeled
vehicles. She can climb. On Earth, she is used as a diagnostic robot, inspecting
ships and harbours with her state-of-the-art sensor system.
46
Our biggest weapon inthe battle against cancer measures 15 nanometres.
A new technology from MagForce Nanotechnologies
AG takes a revolutionary approach to fighting ma-
lignant cells possible: miniature iron oxide particles
are injected into the tumour weakening it when
magnetically activated. The resulting heat eliminates
cancer cells selectively from within.
The method has been tested on patients at the Berlin
Charité Hospital since 2003. Side effects are minor,
while the method makes for milder treatment. The
economic implications are immense: Germany is the
third largest market for medical technology in the
world. The period from 1995 to 2003 has seen annual
increases in domestic turnover of 5.5%; the figure for
non-domestic turnover is 10.2%.
No longer the stuff of science fiction: it is about to
become reality. A brand-new hand prosthesis allows
the wearer to feel pressure, heat and cold. Tiny
electrodes send signals from the hand directly to the
brain. By the reverse process, the hand can also be
used much more precisely. This new technology is
likely to be available within the next five years.
Contributing to the European projects – Cyberhand
and Neurobiotics - German researchers from the
Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Technology
have developed an interface between man and
machine.
Germany is one of the world’s most important places
for neuroprosthetics. A number of new developments
will be brought to market within a few years.
With the help of neuroprosthetics, epileptic fits
may be reduced, those afflicted by paraplegia might
be able to move, and blind people could partially
recover their sight.
More feeling: the revolutionary hand prosthesis.
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“Mental ray” makes visions meet the eye. Bearing witness to it is Daniel Libeskind’s plan for Ground Zero, among others. Purpose-built software made in Berlin not only shows New York’s skyline in the proper light, it defines new standards for Hollywood, playing a leading role in more than 150 films, including “Star Wars”, “Matrix”, and “Alexander”. With its software, the company “mental images” is a global leader in computer-generated film images and effects. The mental ray rendering software for motion pictures lends extraordinary realism to computer-generated scenes. Credit where credit is due: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded the developers an Academy Award for “Technical Achievement” in 2003.
“Germany is ideally placed to develop an exit strategy taking the country away from oil and gas, and moving it into renewable energies and hydrogen. It is capable of leading the third industrial revolution.”
Jeremy Rifkin, Economist and President of the “Foundation on Economic Trends” in Washington.
Our thanks go to Johannes Gutenberg for making this publication possible.
Picture credits
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Editorial Appendix
1450. Johannes Gutenberg invents the modern printing press, using
moveable type for large print runs. With unit costs spectacularly lower compared to hand-written copies and the attendant advances in text precision, science and
literature receive a tremendous boost from Gutenberg’s invention.
Picture credits Inside Cover – Graphic: © Michael Vestner.Foreword – Title: © picture-alliance/dpa.01 Human Resources – Title: © ullsteinbild/Scherhaufer, Illustration: © Kai Bardeleben, Illustration:© Siegmar Münk, © I. Schmitt-Menzel WDR mediagrouplicensing GmbH/Die Sendung mit der Maus ® WDR,Photograph: © Volker Dautzenberg/TRUMPF GmbH &Co. KG, Photograph: © Jamba! GmbH, Photograph: © picture-alliance/dpa, Photograph: © Philipp v. Reckling-hausen/Architecture: ® Sir Norman Foster. 02 Innovation – Title: © Hartmut Nägele,Illustrations: © Siegmar Münk, Illustration Z3-Computercourtesy of archive Dr. Horst Zuse/Berlin, Photograph:© Mauritius/Pixtal, Photograph: © Siemens AG,Photograph: © Loewe AG.03 Research and Development – Title: © Airbus Deutschland GmbH, Illustration: © Kai Bardeleben courtesy of DHM/Deutsches Historisches Museum, Illustration: © Siegmar Münk courtesy of Ernst Ruska Archiv e.V. Berlin/http://ernst.ruska.de, Illustration: © Siegmar Münk courtesy of DLR/Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Photo-graph: © DB Awi/dpa, Photograph: © Philips EUV GmbH. 04 Business Climate – Title: © Bayer AG,Illustration: © Kai Bardeleben, Illustration: © SiegmarMünk, Illustration: © Siegmar Münk, Photograph: ©Paul-Langrock.de, Photograph: © Sven Döring/AMD,Graphic © Michael Vestner/Source: Institut der DeutschenWirtschaft Köln. 05 European Market – Title: © WolfgangRattay/Reuters/Corbis, Illustrations: Siegmar Münk,Illustration “Privileg Nr. 5” courtesy of Institut für Stadtge-schichte Frankfurt am Main, Graphic: © Michael Vestner, Photograph: © A. Reeg/Visum, Photograph: © ullsteinbild/Caro/Meyerbroeker, Graphic: © Michael Vestner. 06 Infrastructure and Logistics – Title:© Felix/zefa/Corbis, Illustrations: © Siegmar Münk,Photograph: © ullsteinbild/KPA, Photograph:© Modrow/laif courtesy of HHLA, Graphic: © Michael Vestner. 07 Quality – Title: © Michael Salz/vario-press, Illustra-tions: © Siegmar Münk, Photograph: © Corbis, Photograph: © Basler AG. 08 Export – Title: © ESA/dpa, Illustration:© Siegmar Münk, Illustration: © Siegmar Münk,Illustration: © Kai Bardeleben, Graphic: © MichaelVestner, Photograph: © Ingo Wagner/dpa, Photograph:© David Franck/Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG.09 Cosmopolitanism – Title: © Jan Greune/LOOK/ Getty Images,, Illustrations: © Siegmar Münk, Photograph: © Christine Panagiotidis/mpi-cbg, Photograph: © ullsteinbild/Müller-Stauffenberg courtesy of Gruppe Afoxé Loni/www.afoxe-loni.de. 10 Living – Title: © Ray Juno/Corbis courtesyof Bayerischen Schlösserverwaltung/www.schloesser.bayern.de, Illustrations: © Siegmar Münk, Photograph:© plainpicture/Kuttig, Photograph: © Werner Baum/dpa, Computer Animation: © Herzog & de Meuron. 11 Technologies of the Future – Title: © Elleringmann/laif, Illustrations: © Siegmar Münk, Illustration CargoCap courtesy of CargoCap GmbH, Computer Animation: © Archimation courtesy of Studio Daniel Libeskind, Photograph: © BMW Group, Epilogue Illustration: © Kai Bardeleben.
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Editorial Appendix
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02 Innovation: Consult the section below for a more comprehensive list of innovations by German automotive manufacturers: ABC: Active Body Control, ABS: Anti-blockiersystem (Anti-block System), ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control, ADS: adaptiertes Dämpfungssystem (Adaptive Damper System), AHL: Active Heading Light,ARS: Aktive Rollstabilisierung (Adaptive Drive), AS: Active Steering, ASC+T: Automatic Stability Control + Traction, ASD: Automatisches Sperrdifferenzial (Automatic Locking Differential), ASF: Audi Space Frame®, AUC: Automa-tische Umluft Control (Automatic Air Circulation Control), BAS: Bremsassistent (Brake Assist), CAN: Controller Area Network, CBC: Cornering Brake Control, CISS: Crash Impact Sound Sensing, DDE: Digitale Diesel Elektronik (Digital Diesel Electronics), DME: Digitale Motor Electronik (Digital Motor Electronics), DSG: Direktschaltgetriebe (Direct Shift Gearbox), EDC: stufenlose, elektronische Dämpfkraftverteilung (Electronic Damper Control), ESP: Elektronisches Stabilitäts-Programm, (Electronic Stability Programme), EWB: Electronic Wedge Brake, H2R: Hydrogen to Race (prototype of a hydrogen-powered race car), HDC: Hill Descent Control, MID: Multi-information Display, PCR: Piezo Common Rail, PDC: Park Distance Control, RPA: Reifen Pannen Anzeige (Tyre Puncture Warning), SBC: Sensotronic Brake Control, TMC: Traffic Message Channel, UDS: Unfall-datenspeicher (Accident Data Recorder), VTG: Variable Turbinengeometrie (Variable Turbine Geometry), W12: Engine with two V6-modules arranged like a W, ZAS: Zylinderabschaltung (Cylinder Shut-off)
03 Research and Development: “Germany is the No.1 place in Europe for Research & Development. This is what business leaders around the globe say according to a 2005 survey.” This statement is based on the European Attractiveness Survey 2005, titled “Emerging Economies Stake Their Claim” conducted by Ernst & Young. The original quote on page 21 of the survey reads: “Executives’ most preferred site for: R&D quality and capacity: Germany is a clear leader in this field.” 09 Cosmopolitanism: ”...some 22,000 foreign companies have set up business successfully in Germany, generating an annual turnover of EUR 1 trillion and employing around three million people.“ These 22,000 foreign invested companies in Germany may be grouped into three categories: 1) companies supported by direct foreign investment, 2) companies supported by direct foreign investment or by indirect foreign investment via a dependent domestic holding company, 3) companies supported by different forms of indirect foreign investment.
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