The Global Economic CrisisRegional Strategies

22nd July 2009, CESE

Jürgen Drewes, IHK Aachen

The Aachen Region

500 sq m = over 150 million inhabitants

500 kmthe Aachen Cathedral

UNESCO Cultural Heritage

CHIO Aachen

the Aachen International Charlemagne Prize

Eifel National Park

An old industrial region:1962 85 textile companies 2003 10 textile companies

1980 coal mining: 13,277 employees1993 coal mining: 3,814 employees1997 closing of last mine and end of coal

mining in the region

1980s: Start of actions to change the economic stru ctureThe foundation of technology centers and business incubators as well as the coordination of local authorities and steering comitees lead to a change in the local economy:

Economic Structural Change

first West German technology center located in a former leather factory

2005: 1,020 technology-oriented start-ups created 28,500 new jobs!

Aachener Gesellschaft für Innovation und Technologietransfer (AGIT)

History:1984 the first technology center in West Germany was founded in Aachen

1985 the AGIT mbH was founded

Services provided by AGIT:• advice for technology-oriented start-ups and innovative companies as well as

assistance for international investors in finding business premises

• network activities in special fields for regional companies• laboratories and clean rooms on favourable terms in its two technology

centers

Additionally: Coordinator of the 13 business incubators and

technology centers in the Aachen Region.

13 business incubators and technology centers:

total area : 100,000 s qm

companies:over 510

employees:over 5,600

Business Incubators

Cooperation Agreement

++since 1981

additional agreement 2005transfertransfer

structuresstructures

documentsdocuments

sectorsector

clustersclusters

committeescommittees

projectsprojects

adad--hochoc

initiativesinitiatives

instrumentsinstruments

RWTH Aachen University(Excellence University)1st place in:- Electrical Engineering- Mechanical Engineering - Information Technology - Industrial Engineering and Management- Sciences

FH Aachen 1st place in:- Electrical Engineering- Mechanical Engineering

5th Place in:- Information Technology

Ranking of best Universities / Universities of Applied Sciences

Research Connections and Cooperation

RWTH Aachen University

FH Aachen –Jülich

Research CenterJülich (FZJ)

Cooperation withIHK Aachen

• automotive technology• information technology• laser technology• biotechnology• medical technology• micro and nanotechnology• environmental technology• life sciences

World class research and development

Ericsson EurolabAachen / Herzogenrath

European Ford Research Center Aachen (FFA)

European Microsoft Innovation Center Aachen (EMIC)

PHILIPS Research Aachen

Nuvo Research Inc., Aachen

Startup Region Aachen

Combating the Global Economic Crisis

1. Continue structural changecooperation between Universities and the chamber, technology transfer, technology centers, etc.

2. Regional implementation of federal initiativese.g.: information and advice for member companies in terms of short-time working, qualifying for employees during periods of short-time working, round tables.

3. Consultancy for member companies in terms of:� financing

� company analysis

� subsidies� venture capital

Vortrag Landrat Spelthahn, Kreis Düren

Facts and Figures

inhabitants 270,000 (15 cities and municipalities)

economic sectors: energy economicspaper industrymechanical engineering research and developmenttourismagricultureservices

working population: 110,000 (2009)

unemployment rate : 8.5 %

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Infrastructure

Investments made by the Düren District

� Roads/Highways: EUR 26 million

�Schools: EUR 26 million (2007-2012)

�Internet: EUR 3 million264

264

399

265

477

56

56

57

55

4

4

44

44

61

Linnich

Titz

Aldenhoven

Jülich

Inden

Niederzier

Düren

Merzenich

Langerwehe

Nörvenich

KreuzauVettweiß

Heimbach

Hürtgenwald

Nideggen

Place for Research and Development

Forschungszentrum Jülich

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

University of Applied Sciences Aachen, branch campus Jülich

4,400 members of staff

one of the largest research centers in Europe

main focus: health care research

future-orientated energy supply

environmental research

information and communication technology

Nobel Prize in Physics 2007: Prof Peter Grünberg

JUGENE: fastest supercomputer in Europe

2 nd largest University of Applied Sciences in North Rh ine Westphalia

international focus – Belgium and the Netherlands

6 degree programs in engineering

Place for Research and Developmentincrease strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Solar Power Plant

heliothermal demonstration and experimental power sta tion

start of construction: 2006

investment: EUR 21,7 million

DESERTEC Concept

aims to cover 15% of Europe's energy demand

Automotive Research

Aldenhoven Testing-Center (ATC)

partners: district of Düren, RWTH Aachen University, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

investments: about EUR 16,3 million

conception: highway for movies (since 2005)

car test center for science and industrie (start of construction June 2009, completion in 2011)

„Galileo“-application development

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Automotive Researchincrease strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Energy and Visions

brown coal opencast mining

Hambach� largest opencast mining in Germany� license till 2040� 1,500 members of staff

Inden

� 850 members of staff� mined out about 2030

Each job in mining saves another one in the region!

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Energy and Visionsincrease strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Indeland – landscape in motion

opencast mining Inden: recultivation, lake 2030

1,100 hectares in size,

90 meters deep

Indemann – the Indeland landmark

36 meters high, 280 tons of steel bright appearanceoffers leisure time activities and restaurantscompletion: August 2009investement: EUR 5.5 million

Master Plan / future projectsconstruction of biomass power plantsCO2- free areas hydropower research

Tourism increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

National Park Eifel

„let nature take its course“ – beech tree forest

� 110 square meters forest and water

� over 460 endangered species

� informative gates at the National Park

� over 600 Ranger tours yearly

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !Tourism

� gate of the National Park for tourists

� training school for unemployed teenagers qualifying them to become cooks or restaurantservices specialists

� teaching kitchen

� restaurant and bistro

opening June 2009

investment: EUR 2,2 Mio. €

Tourist Service Center Nideggen

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !Tourism

start of construction 2009, completion autumn 2010

goal: increase of overnight stays from 25,000 to 35,000 per year

investment: EUR 6.2 million

Youth Hostel Nideggen

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !Tourism

International Art Academy Heimbach

opening August 2009

courses for creative persons

goal: to boost tourism

investment: EUR 2.2 million

NEWS

swimming complex Jülich

instead of reconstruction new construction of a swimming complex

for schools, professionals and recreational sports

europe wide tender is closed

PPP- model

investment: EUR 25 - 30 million

increase strengths – eliminate weaknesses !

Baesweiler –Economic Development and structural change

From a mining city to an attractive location for in novative companies and investors

Dirk Pfeifferling, its Baesweiler

Initial Situation

Economic Structure

� From the almost 6,000 employees in 1961, over 55% were active in the colliery.

� 8 out of 10 jobs in the productive trade were mining jobs.

Long-term dominance of the colliery

3300

2700

0

2000

4000

6000

1961

Employees in 1961

1975 Closing of Carl Alexander mine

� the productive trade loses a great deal of its sign ificance

� Loss of all jobs in the mining industry� Decrease of one-third of persons employed in� the remaining manufacturing industry (suppliers,…)

Result:

Underemployment in the productive trade in Baesweiler

Reorientation

Active economic development since the middle of the 80ies:

1. Development and expansion of the industrial area of Baesweiler

3. Intensified care and attend to already settled c ompanies

4. Building and operation of the InternationalTechnology- and Service-Center Baesweiler

2. Intensified canvassing and marketing of the loca tionBaesweiler, together with the Aachen Region, alsoabroad

The International Technology- and Service-Center Baesweiler

Administrative body: Internationales Technologie-und Service-Center Baesweiler GmbH

Space we offer

� 33 production halls, variable in size and equipment (min. 42 m²)

� 61 offices and labs with flexible floor plan� extensive equipped rooms for exhibitions,

conferences and meetings, inclusive modern presentation technology

� lunch rooms� changing and shower rooms� central parking lots as well as underground

car park

6,000 square meters of flexibility!

Offered Services

� flexible rent and care agreements� state-of-the-art means for telecommunication, e. g. Light wave cable,

broadband internet connection � secretariat offering telephone service, typing service, conference and mail

service� translation service (English and French)� Relocation-Service� intensive counselling with regard to financial subsidies and other

promotion programmes� establishing contacts with local authorities, chambers of commerce,

employer associations, trade unions or research institutions as well as universities

� organisation and offering of seminars and workshops� support to companies which intend to open up foreign markets

(e. g. Great Britain, France, USA)

L'Espace des Entrepreneurs de Montesson

County Durham Development Company (cddc), East Durham Development Agency (edda)

Chemelot b.v., DSM-Research Campus Geleen

Strategic cooperation Chemelot-Baesweiler

A strategic innovative and technological cooperation has been established between the industrial sites of Chemelot in Geleen, NL and CarlAlexanderPark in Baesweiler. The general goal is innovation through the sharing of knowledge and interests, as both sites house high-tech companies looking for cooperation partners. Both Chemelot and Baesweiler function as a 'bridgehead' into the other

country.

Two innovative industrial sites join forces

Partners:Chemelot / DSM

its Baesweiler

2

Cluster Life Science:

Partners/Network

Focusing

Companies TECHNOMEDTechnology

ActivitiesBaesweiler BioTec-Meeting

LifeSciences open house

Job Development in the business park of Baesweiler

mainly coal miners

Future finds a Location