Region for Innovation, Competence, Education and Quality of Life The Economic Region Ostwuerttemberg Innovation in the Region Ostwuerttemberg Welcome to the Region for Talents and Patents Success has a Long-standing Tradition Ostwuerttemberg is the economic region with the oldest still existing industrial enterprise in Germany. Since the foundation of the Skilled Professionals Alliance »Schwaebische Huettenwerke« (SHW) about 650 years ago, the of Ostwuerttemberg region has continuously developed and reinvented itself. Mission: Innovation Location with future In Ostwuerttemberg, an economic region has emerged that focuses on opportunities the manufacturing industry Future Initiative Ostwuerttemberg InnovationPrize Prizefor Talents and Patents INGENIA® Patent agglomeration and that convinces by its creativity, Together into the Future formed by Stuttgart, Ulm and innovation and productivity. In In Ostwuerttemberg, we like to Nuremberg. This location provides particular, the classic metal sector tackle things together. Best intensive transportation connec- has generated numerous growth examples for this are the Future tions into the adjacent regions, into industries and future technologies Initiative Ostwuerttemberg and the Stuttgart metropolitan area and in the region. the Skilled Professionals Alliance of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Ostwuerttemberg. Regional busines- and therefore offers an excellent Today, this region is a stronghold for ses, administrative authorities and location factor and logistics advantage patents and proves regularly that scientific institutions act in concert in for businesses. it rightly deserves the title »Region order to secure sustainable location for Talents and Patents«. development. Excellent Connections The »Region for Talents and Patents« is located in the middle of a triangle Ostalb District Heidenheim Aalen, Ellwangen Giengen Ostwuerttemberg Heidenheim District Schwaebisch Gmuend The Economic Region Ostwuerttemberg Competence from A to Z Top Businesses – Strong Brands International corporations and top businesses such as Alfing, BSH Home- appliance, Carl Zeiss, Edelmann, Leitz, Mapal, Rettenmaier, Robert Bosch Automotive Steering, Roehm, RUD, SHW and Voith are the hallmark of the economic region Ostwuerttemberg. In conjunction with brands such as Fein, Hartmann, Steiff, Triumph, Varta and Toolmaking Weleda, these companies and their products are well known and success- Design ful far beyond the regional borders. Optical Technologies Logistics Photonics Automotive Surface Technology Mechanical Engineering Process Technology Small but Powerful – its actors. Most of the time, innova- A »Yes« to Ostwuerttemberg Medium-sized Businesses tion results from the close interaction The continuous growth in R&D as an Economic Driver of businesses with each other or personnel, as well as investments A large spectrum of small and with the universities and research in- across all industry sectors and business medium-sized businesses covering stitutions. Economic development sizes speak for the long-term viability almost all industrial sectors stands has taken on the role to continuously of the Ostwuerttemberg region. Due for the high attractiveness and launch new initiatives, identify new to the close bonds with the region productivity of the Ostwuerttemberg trends and promote networking – and the tight integration into clusters region as well. These businesses are and all this supported by very speedy and networks, the companies act as the creative minds and reliable official approval procedures. stable business partners and as partners for their customers around reliable employers for a highly skilled the world. work force. Clusters and Networks The economic success of the region rests on the close collaboration of Health Surface Technology Wood & Paper Industry Photonics Logistics Energy The Education Region Ostwuerttemberg Talent Factories and Research Competence Optimal Education Hand in Hand with the Economy Creativity and innovation are Approximately 10,000 students are Ostwuerttemberg’s strengths. divided between the regional univer- The region and its economy sities. They have made their mark benefit from a diverse system of through applied research and educa- higher education, a broad tion, as well as through numerous spectrum of research institutions prizes and awards. Endowed and a multitude of research professorships and research projects transfer centers. contribute to a tight integration with the business world. Aalen University Combined with facilities such as the Research Institute for Precious of Applied Sciences Metals and Metal Chemistry (fem) Steinbeis or the Innovation Center INNO>Z and specialized institutions of higher education, they continuously produce Transfer Centers highly qualified and specialized Innovation Center INNO>Z personnel. University of Design fem University of Education Cooperative State University Heidenheim Figures, Data and Facts The Ostwuerttemberg Region at a Glance Area and Population Economy • 53 cities and municipalities in the Ostalb and • 177,945 employees subject to social insurance Heidenheim districts contributions; about half of whom working in the • 2,139 km2 total area manufacturing industry • 447.029 residents • Degree of tertiarization: 53.3% Including 5 larger districts (Baden-Wuerttemberg: 63.7%, Germany: 71.3%) Aalen: 68.465 residents • Employment rate (in total): 52.6% Schwaebisch Gmuend: 61.056 residents (Baden-Wuerttemberg: 53.7% Heidenheim: 49.664 residents • Unemployment rate: 3.5% (January 2020) Ellwangen: 24.487 residents (Baden-Wuerttemberg: 3.5%, Germany: 5.3%) Giengen/Brenz: 19.828 residents • Export quota in the processing industry: 55.3% • Population density: 208 residents/km2 (Baden-Wuerttemberg: 54.9%, Germany: 48.5%) • Percentage of the population under 25 years of • Investment intensity in the processing industry: age: 25.5% (Baden-Wuerttemberg average: 25.4%, 8.160 € (Baden-Wuerttemberg: 10.613 €) Germany average: 24.5%) • Index of innovation 2019: Rank 5 of 12 regions • Percentage of the population 65 years and older: • “Region for Talents and Patents“: above-average 20.8% (Baden-Wuerttemberg average: 20.0%, number of patent applications (per employee in Germany average: 20.6%) comparison to BW and BRD) • Average age of the region’s inhabitants: 43.9 years Location and Transport Education • Direct or close connections to the European main • A total of approx. 11,350 students at 4 universities/ transportation routes via the A6, A7 and A8 highways colleges • Rapid connection to the greater Stuttgart area and to • 49.016 pupils at general-education schools the adjacent Bavarian region via the well-developed • 14.347 pupils at vocational schools federal road B29 • The State Secondary School for Gifted Children • Munich (approx. 180 km), Nuremberg (approx. 130 (LGH) is located in Schwaebisch Gmuend km) and Frankfurt (approx. 225 km) are just 1–2 • Pupils transferring to advanced secondary schools: hours away, and Stuttgart or Ulm can be reached secondary modern schools: 13.8%, junior high in less than an hour schools: 38.4%, high schools: 40.9% • Good integration into the Deutsche Bahn AG railway network • The international airports of Stuttgart, Munich, Nuremberg and Frankfurt are conveniently and quickly accessible by road or rail Status of the search: January 2020 Innovative industries in Ostwuerttemberg The Ostwuerttemberg region is characterized both by traditional sectors (such as machine construction) and by the high-tech field (such as photonics and surface engineering). The areas of competence of the region of Ostwuerttemberg are the following: Photonic The high-tech sector of photonics developed from the traditional optics sector. In “Photonic Valley” in Ostwuerttemberg the entire value-added chain from de velopment to production to supplier service is covered. Surface technologies Ostwuerttemberg looks back on an age-long tradition of surface treatment. Today, Ostwuerttemberg is an important center of competence within the industry and is home to numerous well-known and globally active research and transfer institutions, associations, businesses as well as, education and training institutions. Automotive With its longstanding tradition in the fields of metal working and machining, Ostwuerttemberg has developed into a region with a high level of automotive competence. There are more than 200 enterprises in the automotive sector that provide more than 30,000 jobs. Machine -, Plant- and Tool-building Industry Originating from a long tradition of metalworking, today’s machine-, plant- and tool- building industry comprises at least 300 business companies, making it one of the industries with the highest sales volume in the region. Last update: January 2020 Forestry, lumber and paper Another characteristic of the Ostwuerttemberg region is a large spectrum of lumber processing and woodworking, ranging from traditional forestry and lumber processing to modern tool- and machine-building companies focusing on lumber and wood. As many as 700 businesses employ a total of approximately 9,000 people. Energy The energy sector has developed strongly in Ostwuerttemberg in recent years. With around 150 companies, the region offers great potential across the entire value- added chain. Furthermore, the regional universities and research institutions are fueling the knowledge in this future-oriented industry whose main focus is on renewable energies. Culture and creative industries Ostwuerttemberg stands for high cultural and creative