“Grow – Promote – Attract” stands for successful business and economic development in Rostock

The year 2006 came to a successful close for Rostock Business, the business and economic development company for the Hanseatic City of Rostock. New service offers were provided on a larger scale to companies. Negotiations with IKEA for its new store in Rostock came to a successful close in December. This was reason enough to celebrate at the traditional New Year’s reception at which over 200 representatives of companies, associations and politics were present. Managing Director Michael Sturm spoke of the positive results achieved last year and also used the occasion to thank the shareholders.

1,500 companies were contacted by Rostock Business in 2006, many of those in connection with fairs and events in the German speaking countries. 70 of those companies visited Rostock and discovered its advantages and qualities first hand. The eight new business establishments bringing a job potential of 650 new jobs and a prospective total investment volume of 54 million Euros speak for themselves. “Every Euro that Rostock invested in business and economic development in 2006 was paid back 54 times over”, comments Michael Sturm. “Our strategy of GROW – PROMOTE – ATTRACT has begun to yield fruit.”

Additional impetus in 2006 was also provided by the service companies adm and HanseNet which were attracted by Rostock Business in the previous years and now provide nearly 1,000 jobs each. “The advantages of Rostock as a business location and the high degree of professionalism of Rostock Business not only made an impression in the case of IKEA; Rostock Business was chosen as one of the top 20 institutions in all of Germany at the reception of the ARTUS award for debeaurocratisation in 2006”, remarked Rostock’s mayor Roland Methling in his opening address. “ Rostock is experiencing visible economic growth; the unemployment rate has fallen to 16.7% and many of Rostock ’s companies are hiring again. Without the work of Rostock Business, this would not be the case”, commented Mayor Methling.

Not only those companies newly settled in Rostock are supported by Rostock Business; a further important task of Rostock Business is to support existing companies and strong contributors to the local economy such as Nordex. Dr. Hansjörg Müller, COO of Nordex, explains his company’s plans to expand its Rostock location: “Nordex intends to expand its production at the Rostock location. Rostock Business is providing intensive support in this process, coordinating all of the accompanying administrational units in Rostock . We greatly appreciate the advantage in Rostock of comprehensive support from one source.” The achievements that Rostock Business can now boast are the result of active marketing activities. For example, the study initiated by Rostock Business and performed by KPMG regarding a comparison of eastern German cities with other eastern European cities was received very positively. “The G8 summit this year is another large media event for the region. This is another chance to reinforce the positive image and attractiveness of Rostock as a business location”, comments Reinhard Meyer, State Undersecretary at the Office of the Minister President of the state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Meyer highlighted the significance of Rostock as the economic and scientific hotspot of the state. “The Rostock region accounts for around 20% of the GDP of the state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Rostock ’s port, as are all ports in the federal state, is developing into a real job motor. Rostock is ready for the future. Rostock Business has played a significant role in this achievement.”