Erfurt – Place for Investment and Well-Being

Best choice for businesses Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being

Erfurt – the best place for investing in the centre of Germany Business location with optimum conditions Central, mobile and high-performance

Are you a prospective or experienced Situated at the junction of two important young-adult media has joined the printing in- business owner? The state capital trade routes, Erfurt was first officially men- dustry in cementing itself as a major element of Thuringia, Erfurt, always strives to make your dealings with the city tioned in documents in AD 742. Trade and in Erfurt’s economic structure. This variety of administration as pleasant and simple industry blossomed, and the fertile soils of industries today characterise the business lo- as possible. the Gera floodplains, as well as the favoura- cation that is Erfurt, which acts as the admi- The city emphasises the seriousness of ble climate, promoted successful agriculture, nistrative, trade and services centre of the Free this matter by being a member of the “RAL Gütegemeinschaft Mittelstands- with dye plants in particular bringing wealth State of Thuringia. orientierte Kommunalverwaltung e. V.” to the city in the Middle Ages. Erfurt became The clear factors favouring the idea of (RAL Quality Assurance Association an economic, intellectual and cultural centre for SME-oriented municipal adminis- Thuringia’s state capital and largest city, with as a university city and the domain of Martin tration). Erfurt was the first of the its population of more than 200,000, being a Luther and Adam Ries. 16 state capitals, and the first city in centre for business include its central loca- eastern Germany, to be awarded this association‘s quality mark in 2008. The 18th century saw the establishment of tion and high-performance infrastructure. foodstuffs production and horticulture, which Erfurt’s road, rail and air connections ensu- simultaneously underlined Erfurt’s inter- re short routes within Germany and Europe, national reputation as a city of flowers. The which is emphasised by the adjacent A4 and removal of Erfurt’s fort in 1873 and the indus- A71 as part of the “Erfurter Ring”, Erfurt’s role trialisation in the 19th century laid the founda- as a railway hub in the ICE network and in rail tions for the business location it is today. Many transportation, as well as its international factories, particularly those specialising in mech- airport licensed for 24-hour and all-weather anical and plant engineering, began spring- air traffic. ing up outside the former city fort. Micro- The state capital‘s central location and excel- electronics, which emerged from the pipe mill lent accessibility is today highly regarded by of the Telefunken Gesellschaft, also became a trade fair visitors and meeting guests, as well cornerstone industry in the Erfurt economy in as the 134,500 employees in the city area and the second half of the 20th century. It has add- the approximately 13,000 Erfurt businesses. itionally given rise to the city’s successful mi- They represent both the traditional and the crotechnology and photovoltaics companies in For more details on the „RAL Gü- newly emerging focus areas of Erfurt’s econ- recent decades. Thanks to its central location, tezeichen Mittelstandsorientier- omy, thereby attesting to the interplay of trad- the city has also recorded a constant increase te Kommunalverwaltung” and the ition and innovation. attendant services, visit: in new logistics companies since Germany’s re- www.erfurt.de › Business unification. In the media sector, children’s and

Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Business location with optimum conditions Specialist potential for high-performance Central, mobile and high-performance You can count on the Erfurters

Investors will find perfect conditions for es- teach skills and knowledge for future care- tablishing their businesses, both in the trad- ers in the media and arts, or assist aspiring itional regions and the many newly develo- athletes with their academic and sporting ped commercial areas (see map further on). development. The workers of tomorrow also Whether it be large-scale industrial premises have nine national vocational schools at their or small subdivisions, the purchase or rental disposal. Eleven technical and vocational of commercial properties, production plants colleges, as well as other vocational training or service, office or warehouse premises, the centres, private training establishments and business hub of Erfurt offers investors lucrati- the adult education centre further make up ve, customised solutions. Erfurt’s range of educational services.

The city’s excellently trained specialists are Workers and businesses in Erfurt are able to another advantage, directly aided by the meet the ever increasing requirements of flexi- some 10,000 students at the University of Er- bility, complexity and innovation. Further rela- furt, Erfurt University of Applied Sciences and tions between economic players are developed the Adam Ries College of Higher Education in field-specific manner along value-added with its dual-component courses. Erfurt also chains, in an issue-specific manner, or in part- benefits from its proximity to other coveted nerships with companies based on their geo- universities, such as the Friedrich Schiller graphic proximity and therefore common inte- University in Jena, the Bauhaus University in rests. Resulting networks and clusters combine Weimar and the Technical University of Ilme- skills, pool resources and develop co-operative nau. Thuringia’s extensive range of education systems, which are available to Erfurt-based and research institutes situated in and around businesses as an intangible infrastructure. Erfurt help guarantee the availability of spe- More on framework conditions, specialists, cialists, the founding of new businesses and networks and clusters, as well as interesting the transfer between economics and science. information from Erfurt-based companies Basic education is provided by 66 general can be read in the industry profiles „Food- schools, including eight grammar schools, in stuffs industry & horticulture“, “General & the Erfurt metropolitan area. Among these, children’s media”, “Mechanical & plant en- specialised schools encourage young mathe- gineering”, “Logistics” and “Microtechnology maticians, scientists and computer scientists, & photovoltaics”. and, along with the basic curriculum, also

Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Perfect for your investments Commercial areas in the Erfurt metropolitan area National highway State road Erfurter Ring Business Parks Commercial areas

route Berlin 1 „Bürostadt Airfurt“, Bindersleben 11 ha net area, in the city’s west

2 „Überm Feldgarten“, Linderbach 7.1 ha net area, in the city’s east

3 „Forschungs- und Industriezentrum Erfurt“ (FIZ) 14.6 ha net area, in the city’s south

4 „Gefahrenschutzzentrum“ 10 ha net area, in the city’s west

5 „Internationales Logistikzentrum Erfurt“ (ILZ) 77.5 ha net area, in the city’s north - 6 „Stotternheimer Straße“ 11.1 ha net area, in the city’s north

7 „Güterverkehrszentrum Erfurt“ (GVZ) 208 ha net area, in the city’s east

8 „Kalkreiße“ 16.4 ha net area, directly connected to the inner city

9 „Ludwigstein“ 39.2 ha net area, in the city’s north

10 „Nördlich Sulzer Siedlung“ 30.1 ha net area, in the city’s north

11 „Schwanseer Straße“, Stotternheim 7.7 ha net area, in the city’s north

12 „Unterm Fichtenwege“, Kerspleben 39.6 ha net area, in the city’s east

13 „Vor den Streichteichen“, Vieselbach 20.7 ha net area, in the city’s east

14 „Thüringengewerbepark“ 13.3 ha net area, in the city’s north-west route D res d en

Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Liveable and modern, with charm A city to admire and fall in love with

Erfurt not only distinguishes itself as a mo- in the inner city. The wine festival, ceramics dern, perfectly located economic hub, but also market, the duck race on the river Gera, the makes your decision to establish or expand car show „Autofrühling“ and the Thuringi- your business easier with its irresistible, emo- an „Jazzmeile“ jazz festival are major events tional power of persuasion and the quality of on Erfurt’s calendar, as are the Merchant‘s life offered. Bridge festival (Krämerbrückenfest) and the Erfurt Christmas market, which is one of the The medieval old town speaks for itself with most famous in Germany. Visitors from all charm and unique character. The impressive over the world also flock to the unique annual St Mary‘s Cathedral and Church of St Severus „Cathedral Steps“ festival (DomStufen-Fest- complex, the Merchant‘s Bridge and the Pe- spiele) held in an impressive setting in front tersberg citadel characterise the townscape, of the cathedral and the Church of St Severus. as do the romantic lanes and squares and nu- Rounding off the city’s cultural highlights are merous creeks, bridges and towers. Erfurt Theatre with its opera house (which Extensive restoration work has helped Erfurt opened in 2003), museums, galleries and caba- develop into a popular shopping city with ret shows. modern shopping malls and chain stores, as Erfurt also has a soft spot for children’s needs. well as boutiques, specialised shops and tren- The natural history museum, the egapark Er- dy clubs. The traffic-free inner city and lush furt, the “Fuchsfarm” natural experiences rest areas are conducive to an interesting yet garden, the aquarium and of course the “big relaxed stroll through the shops. animals’ zoo” – the Thüringer Zoopark Erfurt In doing so, you can enjoy Erfurt with all your – are just as popular among children as the se- senses, whether it be over an original take- minars held during the Kinder-Uni (children’s away Thuringian grilled sausage (Rostbrat- university) event. Here, children learn wurst) or Thuringian dumplings in one of the e. g. how light is made from water, what bo- many taverns serving local specialities. The nes are made from and why a smile is under- culinary variety is also enhanced by countless stood all over the world. The Erfurt painting beer gardens and cafés, restaurants serving school, the IMAGO art and design school, international cuisine and a distinct selection the amateur theatre for children and young of traditional pubs. adults, the SCHOTTE, as well as several dance Erfurt’s special atmosphere is also characte- and music schools also encourage youngsters’ rised by the many festivities and events held artistic talents.

Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Sports and nature enthusiasts also get their include surrounding cities and districts in money’s worth in Erfurt. Modern sporting fa- their tickets via regional bus lines and trains. cilities such as the ice-sports centre, bike ra- The local public transport system has not cing track, athletics hall, Steigerwald Stadium, only won an EU gold medal, but also greatly the Thuringian gymnastics centre and many contributes to the “Barrier-free Erfurt” quali- other gymnasiums, sporting grounds and fit- ty seal. About 90 percent of the city railway ness studios, as well as over 250 Erfurt-based stops allow for stepless boarding. The public sporting clubs enable people of all ages to be transport highlights include the stops be- active in their everyday lives. The vast parks, neath Erfurt’s main train station and directly the shores of the river Gera and the Steiger in front of the check-in area at Erfurt’s airport. Forest are also great places to exercise. For The ICE train station, city railway system and those who love the water, Erfurt has indoor airport could not be more directly connected. and outdoor pools, as well as the Nordstrand The “Strong for family – strong for Erfurt” al- leisure park and the Stotternheim bathing liance is also focused on networking. Its com- beach. Together with Erfurt’s lakes, they offer mitment to family-friendly services is particu- much more than just pure bathing enjoyment larly aimed at balancing career and family life in the form of sailing, fishing, surfing, rowing, and creating flexible child-care facilities for waterskiing and diving schools. the little ones. The city’s public transport network ensures Finally, Erfurt’s wide variety of residential convenient access to workplaces, homes, options further underlines the city as an ideal children’s facilities and recreation centres. place to live. It combines medieval and mo- City railways, buses and night services pro- dern architecture, and offers lodging to suit vide high-quality transportation. The “Erfurt all requirements and budgets – for example City-Takt” guarantees each city railway line’s half-timbered houses, skilfully integrated departure every ten minutes between 6:00 new buildings in the historic old town, resto- and 18:00 on weekdays and every 20 minutes red old buildings, dwellings in new housing between 18:00 and 0:30. Electronically moni- development, apartment blocks with high tored bus connections ensure reliable access ceilings and bright rooms in the Wilhelminian to the city’s outskirts, and, thanks to the district, (semi-) detached houses in the subur- „Verkehrsverbund Mittelthüringen“, an inter- ban areas or noble Art Nouveau villas at the municipal transportation association, these edge of the Steiger Forest. don’t just end at Erfurt’s city limits, but also Erfurt - where I want to be!

Erfurt – Place for investment and well-being Erfurt – the best place for investing in the centre of Germany

Thuringia’s state capital provides lots of opportun- ities for investment and well-being. Count on us, we look forward to hearing from you!

Contact State Capital Erfurt City Administration

Economic Promotion Authority 1st English translation based on Fischmarkt 11, 99084 Erfurt 2nd revised German edition Telephone: +49 (0) 361 655-4433 March 2011 Production: www.neumeister.de Fax: +49 (0) 361 655-6880 Photos: Economic Promotion Authority, Email: [email protected] H. P. Szyszka and Ronald Neumeister