MADISON, WI. Feb. 28, 2018 –The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is inviting Wisconsin companies seeking to establish or expand their exporting efforts to participate in a global trade venture to Germany from June 23-30.
Wisconsin businesses exported more than $700 million in goods and services to Germany in 2017, a 13 percent increase over 2016 and significantly higher than the U.S. increase of 8.4 percent. The country is the state’s seventh-largest export destination and top export product categories include industrial machinery, medical and scientific instruments, and aircraft/spacecraft parts.
“Germany is considered the powerhouse of the European economy, and the increase in state exports to the country make it clear that there are numerous opportunities for Wisconsin businesses,” said Katy Sinnott, vice president of international business development for WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “Wisconsin and Germany have a mutual strength in manufacturing, as well as a shared emphasis on quality, productivity and a strong work ethic. Those common bonds have resulted in strong partnerships that are paying dividends on both sides of the ocean.”
The weeklong trade venture will include visits to Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, thus covering three different regions of Germany with strategic importance for Wisconsin companies.
WEDC’s trade ventures offer companies a way to make connections in markets that lead to new exports. The trips represent an excellent value since they are offered at a subsidized rate, and with logistics taken care of, participants can focus on business. This trip is suitable for companies that do not have prior export experience.
Linda von Delhaes-Guenther, Wisconsin’s authorized trade representative in Germany, will visit Wisconsin in March to meet with companies interested in participating in the trade venture and learning more about German market opportunities.
From 8 to 10 a.m. March 14, she will speak at the Global Water Center Auditorium, 247 W. Freshwater Way in Milwaukee. To register for that session, contact Katie Henry at khenry@mmac.org or 414.287.4123.
From 10 a.m. to noon March 15, she will be at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Alumni Welcome & Conference Center Executive Boardroom, 625 Pearl Ave. in Oshkosh. To register, contact Shirley Malski at malskis@uwosh.edu or 920.424.4631.
Wisconsin firms interested in a one-on-one meeting with von Delhaes-Guenther during her visit can contact Stanley Pfrang at stanley.pfrang@wedc.org or 608.210.6777.
Germany is investing in eco-friendly solutions and technology that improves manufacturing productivity. Medical and scientific instruments are also in high demand. Wisconsin companies supplying digital solutions, information technology, software, industrial automation and sensors, and those involved in the Internet of Things can especially expect to find opportunities on this trade venture.
The trade venture begins June 23 with departure from the U.S. The trip will begin with a segment in Düsseldorf, located in the Nordrhein-Westfalen region in the western part of the country. The state is the most populous one in Germany and is home to four of the country’s 10 largest cities: Köln, Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Essen. The region is a hub for industrial machinery manufacturing.
The delegation will then spend a day in Frankfurt, located in the Hessen region, a hub for finance and distribution, as well as chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Hessen is Wisconsin’s sister state.
The trip will wrap up in the Baden-Württemberg region, which is located in the southwestern corner of Germany and is known for industrial automation and the automotive industry.
Each participant in the global trade venture will also receive a customized Germany market assessment specific to his or her company, detailing considerations to keep in mind when introducing the company’s product or service into the market. WEDC also has an authorized trade representative in Germany who can make it easier for Wisconsin companies to find local partners and can take some of the guesswork out of launching in a new market.
The venture includes three nights in Düsseldorf and three nights in Stuttgart before returning to the U.S. on June 30. The cost to attend for a Wisconsin exporter of goods or services is $3,100 and includes the market assessment, hotel accommodations, interpreter services, scheduled ground transportation and airfare between the two program cities, but does not include international airfare or most meals.
The registration deadline is May 11. To learn more or register, please visit www.wedc.org/Germany18.