Wind Technology “Made in Niedersachsen” - Polygo Verlag GmbH

Niedersachsen
Global
ISSUE 2 I 2012 6 EURO
Automotive
The global players of the automotive
sector will come together in Niedersachsen
in autumn 2012. p.06
Wind Technology
Modern wind technology “Made
in Germany” has its roots on
Niedersachsen’s North Sea coast. p.20
Chemicals
MAGAZINE FOR BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT
Chemical products from Niedersachsen
offer innovative solutions
for the whole world. p.34
Foreign Trade Prize
The 9th Niedersachsen Foreign Trade
Day 2012 in Hanover was dedicated
to the ASEAN region. p.46

YOUR FUTURE IN
Commercial sites in the triangle Hamburg, Hanover, Bremen
∙ Large offerings along the highways
∙ Diverse industrial structure
∙ Access to national means of transportation
∙ Attractive living environment
...and what may we do for you?
Landkreis Heidekreis, Wirtschaftsförderung Bornemannstraße 10
Hans-Jürgen Stegen 29614 Soltau
Tel. +49 (0) 5191/970 - 673
Fax +49 (0) 5191/970 - 900673
wirtschaftsförderung@heidekreis.de ∙ www.heidekreis.de
Innovative Niedersachsen!
Editorial
Niedersachsen Global 03
Visionary force is one of the strongest economic drivers. Niedersachsen has always
lived by this force and with the absolute determination to find new answers to the
urgent questions of our age. Our aim is to set innovative trends for the future which
have international appeal. Niedersachsen is already well-known for this and this is why
we are sticking to the same course.
The future-oriented sector of wind technology has its roots on Niedersachsen’s
North Sea coast. Back in the early 1990s Niedersachsen committed to wind energy,
assumed a pioneering role in this sector and today manufacturers from across the
world purchase wind power components and systems “Made in Germany”. Worldwide
Germany lies in third place in terms of wind power installations. This is a success story
that we can also recount about other industrial sectors in Niedersachsen.
For instance the chemicals industry in North Germany has excellent credentials.
“stade-project 2021” and “Deltaland” are two development projects which are providing
further growth prospects for the locations of Stade and Bomlitz in Niedersachsen.
International chemicals groups including Dow, Honeywell and Ineos are very well
positioned in Niedersachsen and are also supported by an excellent infrastructure.
Innovations and activities from these and other economic sectors are clear
demonstrations of the desirability of Niedersachsen for foreign direct investments.
In September the international automotive sector will come together in Hanover for
the IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair and in October for the International Suppliers
Fair in Wolfsburg, both of which are leading international trade shows for mobility,
transportation and logistics. The latest trends and innovations, future-oriented technologies
and automotive world premières await you this autumn in Niedersachsen.
We look forward to meeting you …
Discover Niedersachsen: the German state where innovations start!
Your Editorial Team NiedersachsenGlobal
Cover: Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
Image: Marco Bühl

Content
Automotive
The latest trends and innovations,
future-oriented technologies and
automotive world premières
at the IAA Commercial Vehicles
and IZB 2012. p.06
Chemicals
With international corporations,
the Jade-Weser-Port and an ex-
cellent infrastructure, the chemicals
location of Niedersachsen is
in a very good position. p.34
Main Topics
Automotive: Full speed ahead
into the automotive future
Wind Technology “Made in
Niedersachsen”
Chemicals: Chemicals are
well-placed in the North
06
20
34
Companies
Showcase for electric mobility
Nienburg / Weser
Nexans
EWE
LPKF, Interview with
CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer
Herfurth & Partner
15
17
19
33
45
53
Wind Technology
In 2012 with an installed wind
energy output of over 7,000
megawatt, Nieder sachsen is
the pioneer in this sector
in Germany. p.20
Content
Niedersachsen Global 05
Foreign Trade Prize 2012
The company Purplan based
in Wallenhorst was awarded
the Niedersachsen Foreign
Trade Prize 2012. p.46
International
Interview with Purplan MD Andreas 46
Sandmann; the nominated companies
Local
Wolfsburg
Lüneburg
Imprint
54
56
58

Image: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
06 Automotive
Niedersachsen Global
Full speed ahead
into the automotive future
Trend barometer: The IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair in Hanover
and the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) in autumn 2012 in Wolfsburg
both point the way to the automotive future. The international automotive
sector will come together in Niedersachsen and present the
latest developments.
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global 07
The “Amarok” pickup from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will start to roll off conveyor belts in Hanover starting in 2013.

Images (3): IAA Nutzfahrzeuge
08 Automotive
Niedersachsen Global
The IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair in Hanover
“Commercial Vehicles are the backbone of modern industrial societies. In Europe commercial
vehicles account for about three-quarters of total freight traffic and all other modes of transport
including inland water vessels, aircraft and the railways are dependent on HGVs. Modern commercial
vehicles make sure supermarket shelves are filled and ensure the delivery of goods ordered
by internet to the consumer. The commercial vehicle remains irreplaceable,” stresses Matthias
Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), which organises
the IAA Commercial Vehicles trade fair every two years in Hanover.
by Katrin Langemann
The latest trends and innovations, future-oriented technologies and automotive world
premières – the IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair, the world’s leading trade fair for
mobility, transportation and logistics and the IZB, Europe’s leading trade fair for the automotive
supplier industry, will present the latest developments in the automotive sector in
autumn 2012. The global players of the car industry will come together in Niedersachsen.
The motto of the 64th IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair in Hanover is “Commercial
Vehicles: Driving the Future.” According to Matthias Wissmann, President of the
German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), “The motto reflects the huge
innovative spirit of the sector and the high efficiency of the commercial vehicle. The
‘engines of the future’, such as new and cleaner Euro-VI aggregates will be exhibited at
the IAA. In Hanover there will be exciting world premières to witness. We are expecting
new proposals for the optimisation of aerodynamics and we will see for ourselves the
progress that has been made in alternative commercial vehicle drive concepts from natural
gas and hybrid through hydrogen to electromobility. Innovations for even more safety
will also be presented. This IAA Commercial Vehicles will have even more exhibitors and
surface area than the successful IAA 2010.” There are also many Niedersachsen-based
companies that take advantage of the international platform to present their innovations
and products at the IAA.
Bernard Krone, Managing Director of Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone GmbH says
“This is where all manufacturers from the entire sector come together – from trailer
producers through motor vehicle manufacturers to the supplier industry. This means
that all skilled partners involved with commercial vehicles really are represented at IAA
Commercial Vehicles and this makes the trade fair a real highlight of the year. As proof
64th IAA Commercial
Vehicles Trade Fair
20th - 27th September 2012
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global 09
26th September 2012:
Specialist Electromobility Congress
Hanover: Messegelände
Opening Hours: 9.00 to 18.00
For more information visit www.iaa.de

Image: Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone GmbH
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global
10
of this in 2010 more than 240,000 visitors came to Hanover and the quality of the IAA
visitors continues to be high. In 2010 the ratio of trade visitors on all days was on average
over 80 percent and three out of every four visitors were decision-makers. These are the
success-criteria of the IAA, therefore for Krone attending the trade fair is an absolute
must. Once again we will have one or two innovations to bring along and also from the
wide field of services and telematics. Another important topic is recuperation, i.e. energy
recovery. We will also be presenting further innovations related to load securing.” Fahrzeugwerk
Bernard Krone GmbH is Europe’s second biggest manufacturer of HGV trailers
and semi-trailers. About 800 employees produced more than 20,000 rolling units at the
Werlte site in the 2010 / 2011 financial year. Current innovations include the Cool Liner
Duoplex Steel VIP insulated trailer which generates energy savings of up to 25 percent
in its construction, and the Krone Profi Liner Eco, a semi-trailer with an aerodynamic
lateral lining, which enables a fuel saving of up to seven percent and significantly reduces
CO 2 emissions.
Walter Bösenberg GmbH in Hanover, a worldwide supplier of highly-specialised
solutions for vehicle fittings and special vehicles, also uses the IAA as an exhibition space.
In the words of Michael Steiner, Managing Director, “IAA Commercial Vehicles is the most
important trade fair for Bösenberg. Through its presentation of state-of-the-art innovations
across all sectors, the IAA is the trend barometer for the next two years and provides
an outlook on future economic developments. In 2012 Bösenberg will be presenting a
mobile, all-terrain water laboratory which transfers all the possibilities of a stationary
laboratory to a mobile environment. This is primarily of interest for the disinfectant sector
but also for the power supply and the safeguarding of a continuous cooling chain for
the samples. In addition an office and control vehicle of the Federal Office for Freight
Transport will be presented in which a new type of power supply system is incorporated
with a methanol-operated fuel cell.”
Electromobility is the subject of the “Specialist Electromobility Congress” which
will take place on 26th September as part of IAA Commercial Vehicles. Questions such as
“Where does Germany stand in the development of these future technologies? What has
been achieved to date? What hurdles are still to be overcome?“ are the central questions
here. About 500 international participants and high-ranking speakers are expected.
Energy savings of up to 25 percent
are possible with the Cool Liner
Duoplex-Steel VIP insulated trailer
from Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone
GmbH. The Duoplex-Steel construction
of the refrigerated box consists
of integrated vacuum panels which
increase its cooling efficiency by a
sensational amount.
Automotive
The automotive sector is one of the most important industries in Niedersachsen. Volkswagen Group is the world’s third
largest automotive manufacturer and is the largest in Europe. Its head office is based in the second largest German Federal
State by surface area. In addition there are approximately 700 supplier companies. In total the supplier and automotive
sectors employ about 160,000 people in Niedersachsen.
The supplier and automotive industry
in Niedersachsen
• About 160,000 employees
• About 700 supplier companies
• Very high qualification levels
and training in universities
in Niedersachsen
• Grouping of this expertise in
highly-qualified competence networks
• High capacity for research
and development
Image: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
One of the regular exhibitors at IAA is Volkswagen Commercial
Vehicles – a brand from Volkswagen Group, the largest automotive
manufacturer in Europe. In the Hanover site as from 2013, in
addition to the over 150,000 T5 Transporters and Multivans, an
additional 40,000 Amoraks will come off the conveyor belt every
year. To date the Pickup has only been produced in Pacheco in
Argentina. In future customers in Latin and South America will be
serviced from there and markets in Eastern and Western Europe
as well as Africa will be serviced from Hanover. According to Prof.
Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen AG:
“Volkswagen has big growth opportunities worldwide in the light
commercial vehicles segment.” With the start of production in
Hanover, the Amarok has finally arrived in Europe. The Amarok
“Made in Hanover” represents the competitive performance of
the site and will give the success-story of our Volkswagen Pickup
an extra tailwind.”
IAA Commercial Vehicles is also a mandatory diary date for
Continental in Hanover which generated revenues of € 30.5 billion
in 2011. The supplier of braking systems, systems and components
for drives and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions,
vehicle electronics, tyres and technical elastomer products is one
of the largest worldwide automotive suppliers to the automotive
industry. The same applies to the 7th International Suppliers Fair
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global 11
(IZB) that starts two weeks later in Wolfsburg. For Continental
individual mobility is facing the biggest changes since the invention
of the motor car. Ever denser vehicle and data streams,
shrinking reserves of fossil fuels, internationalisation of logistics
chains alongside growing safety and environmental awareness are
the challenges of the future. Continental aims to meet these challenges
with the key themes of efficiency, security, environment
and information.
From 10th to 12th October 760 exhibitors from 26 different
countries will be presenting their merchandise over 36,000
square metres at the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) under the
motto “Connecting Car Competence”. Thomas Krause, Chairman
of Wolfsburg AG, which organises the trade fair comments, “In
contrast to the IAA, the IZB is a pure trade fair for automotive
suppliers. It focuses on innovations in technologies, materials and
engines and in our experience exhibitors display high-quality presentations
of their products and their competitiveness. The IZB is
therefore the prime show for suppliers in relation to manufacturers.”
The partner countries and also the focus of the framework
programme of this year’s exhibition are Brazil and Argentina. The
patronage for IZB 2012 has been undertaken by David McAllister,
Minister-President of the Federal State of Niedersachsen, Dr. Francisco
J. Garcia Sanz, Board Member of Volkswagen AG, and Klaus
Image: Walter Bösenberg GmbH
Left: “Made in Hanover” – the Amarok from
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Right:
Vehicle fittings and special vehicles are
the speciality of worldwide supplier Walter
Bösenberg GmbH in Hanover.

Image: Wolfsburg AG
Image: Wolfsburg AG
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global
12
7th International
Suppliers Fair (IZB)
10th - 12th October
Wolfsburg: Messegelände in
Wolfsburg Allerpark
9th October: International
Automotive Congress
For more information visit
www.izb-online.com and
www.izb-kongress.com
Image: Arnold Jäger Holding GmbH
Mohrs, Mayor of the town of Wolfsburg. “South America has an important role to play
in the global growth strategy of the Volkswagen Group. We are therefore delighted that
Argentina and Brazil, both significant countries in this region, will be exhibiting at this
year’s International Suppliers Fair. The IZB offers a well-established platform for a mutual
exchange between international business partners” stressed Garcia Sanz.
Brazil is the fifth largest car market worldwide with domestic sales reaching 3.6
million vehicles in 2011. The market in South America is challenging, also due to the
high levels of import taxes, but with 200 million inhabitants and rising incomes which
make car mobility affordable, it offers very good growth prospects. The automotive
industry is also a significant growth driver for the neighbours in Argentina. In 2011 the
sector in South America’s second largest car market grew by 13 percent. The selection
of the partner countries of Argentina and Brazil takes into account the successful development
of the automotive markets in both countries. And the forecasts continue to
be good. Increasing prosperity significantly changes consumer behaviour and thereby
also the structuring of the products on offer. Already by 2015 Brazil could be the thirdlargest
passenger car market after the USA and China according to a forecast carried
out as part of a study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants at the end of 2011. This
also offers local suppliers new potential for their business development. Therefore the
International Automotive Congress on 9th October, to be held alongside IZB 2012, is also
focusing on Argentina and Brazil. The current strategic challenges in South America, the
planning and solutions of successful automotive manufacturers and suppliers plus the
perspectives for sustainable mobility in the South-American automotive market will be
Image: Wolfsburg AG
Thomas Krause, Chairman
of Wolfsburg AG which organises
the IZB comments,
“In contrast to the IAA, the
IZB is a pure trade fair
for automotive suppliers.
It focuses on innovations
in technologies, materials
and engines and therefore
IZB is the prime show for
suppliers in relation to
manufacturers.”
discussed. It is not only international players who will be presenting
their products in 2012 at the IZB, but about 60 smaller Niedersachsen-based
companies will also be presenting their products
in Wolfsburg. In the words of Sven Wosny, Managing Director of
Lineas Informationstechnik GmbH in Braunschweig, “Lineas Informationstechnik
GmbH, as a producer of customisable adaptable
software solutions, supports the networking of business processes
over and above company boundaries. And here the IZB offers the
unique opportunity to easily make contacts with the many different
parties involved and affected by this sector. Lineas will showcase
its in-house development software Prospero, by presenting a live
process for the fast development of individual web systems. We will
also be presenting our new iPad solution. Our Lineas Pdf-AppArt
enables pdf documents to be created professionally with the associated
headers to be displayed and presented in a targeted way via
the navigation elements.”
Jäger Automobil-Technik GmbH & Co. KG will also be present
at the IZB. Managing Director Dr.-Ing. Andreas Jäger says,
“The IZB is one of the few automotive supplier trade fairs and
it brings together a large number of suppliers in one place. We
are working on expanding our production portfolio in the field of
emobility and high-temperature applications. At the IZB we will
be exhibiting, amongst other things, seals and refrigerant lines for
lithium-ion batteries and seals for the aggressive temperature and
media environment that exist in the engine area. As another focal
point we will be exhibiting rubber-plastic compounds produced
without primer for a wide range of automotive applications. Jäger
Automobil-Technik GmbH & Co. KG is part of the Jäger Group of
“Ever scarcer resources,
different user behaviour,
CO 2 reduction – these
challenges affect manu-
facturers and suppliers
in the automotive industry
to an equal extent.”
Thomas Krause, Chairman of Wolfsburg AG
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global 13
Efficiency, security, environment and information are the four key themes through which Continental
in Hanover aims to meet the automotive challenges of the future.
Companies and is a worldwide operator in automotive construction,
machinery and system construction, environmental and agricultural
technology and in crude oil exploration.
Whether it is a question of commercial vehicles, passenger
vehicles or suppliers, the automotive sector in Niedersachsen is very
well positioned for the future and is ready to meet its challenges. In
the words of Thomas Krause, “Ever scarcer resources, different user
behaviour, CO 2 reduction – these challenges affect manufacturers
and suppliers in the automotive industry to an equal extent. Lightweight
constructions, alternative tools, alternative drive technologies
are only some of the subject areas which are playing a decisive
role today and in the future on production and on products.”
Image: Continental

Image: BerlinStock – Fotolia.com
“SHOWCASE FOR ElECTRIC MOBIlITy”
Automotive
Niedersachsen Global 15
Our horsepower goes electric. Electric mobility in Niedersachsen. The metropolitan area
“Metropolregion Hannover Braunschweig Göttingen Wolfsburg” is one of four showcases for
electric mobility in Germany.
Niedersachsen is the state of horses but also of horsepower.
This applies specifically to the area around the cities of
Hanover, Braunschweig and Wolfsburg. Producers, suppliers,
service providers and outstanding academic institutions
have made this area into one of the top global sites for the
mobility industry. The region which has formed a metropolitan
area with the south of Niedersachsen has now set itself
the objective of utilising the opportunities for electric mobility
along the entire value chain. As many vehicles and components
as possible are to be developed and produced in the
metropolitan area. Services related to electric mobility and
the regional generation of electricity from renewable energy
sources also form part of the “Business Model Showcase”.
About 120 companies, 30 academic institutions, the Federal
State of Niedersachsen and over 50 municipalities are all
involved in the Showcase for Electric Mobility “Our horsepower
goes electric. Electric mobility in Niedersachsen”. In
about 40 individual projects a financial sum of about € 130
million is involved of which it is expected that € 10 million
shall be provided by the State of Niedersachsen and almost
€ 50 million by the German Federal Government.
The metropolitan area is not only building its showcase
on the strengths of the mobility industry, but is always
also setting itself the challenge of developing electric mobility
as a mobility solution fit for future purpose. The aim of
the metropolitan area is to fully cover its energy requirements
for electricity, heat and mobility from renewable energy
sources by 2050 thereby creating the basic prerequisite for
climate-friendly mobility. As an associated project new wind
power stations are being constructed in the metropolitan
area which will cover the electricity requirements of 100,000
vehicles. A campaign programme is being used by towns and
districts to increase awareness and acceptance of this by the
population. Electrical vehicles in communal vehicle pools,
privileged parking, support for two-wheel electric mobility
and the development of a needs-oriented battery charging
infrastructure are the main points under consideration in the
local support programme. In the development of local support
strategies, the local municipalities want to learn from
the experiences of other European regions. The metropolitan
area organises international exchanges, including with
the French tourism region of La Rochelle, the town alliance
CREA’VENIR in Haute-Normandie and also with the Spanish
city of Valladolid.
Hanover City Centre will see developments through a
high density of hybrid buses, a new model for the loaning of
pedelecs (electric bicycles), the use of electric vehicles in the
Volkswagen Carsharing-Model Quicar and many other infra-
Driving the Future: Electric mobility offers huge potential.
structure activities. Braunschweig is proving in the Showcase
for Electric Mobility its peak position in research and it will
be testing a model for the inductive charging of buses and
taxis. The town of Wolfsburg is building a state-of-the-art
mobility centre in front of the main station and the general
public magnet Autostadt is setting up a new information
and experience centre on electric mobility. On the main VW
plant site a comprehensive electric mobility concept design
has been built for the showcase period. The Harz is becoming
a test region for electrical motor bikes and pedelecs are
to replace public transport in the Weserbergland. With all
these activities to promote electric mobility, the metropolitan
area wants to keep the economic effects and in particular the
implications for the employment market in view. Therefore
against this background, work place monitoring is being carried
out. A wide range of qualification and accompanying
research activities round out the showcase.
Contact
The metropolitan area “Metropolregion Hannover
Braunschweig Göttingen Wolfsburg”
www.metropolregion.de

Image: WIN Wirtschaftsförderung GmbH / Henniges
GEARS NEEDED TO WORK
Niedersachsen‘s centers of the automobile industry are
located around Emden, Osnabrück and Hanover as well as
Wolfsburg, of course. But even apart from these big cities,
the automobile industry is noticeable: along the river Weser,
especially in the economic region called Mittelweser, a flourishing,
versatile landscape of enterprises with a certain importance
for the automobile construction exists. The spectrum
is as wide as the value-added chain is deep: from the service
of the North German gas station net “Classic” through the
construction of in-house transport services up to the classic
supplier, producing rubber gaskets, window glasses, synthetic
leather covers for cars can be found here.
In the middle of Niedersachsen between Hanover and
Bremen, more than a dozen companies are working in the
field of automobile industry. Automotive - is only one of the
five main branches there - but an important one: “On the
one hand we have direct suppliers, on the other hand we
have niche enterprises offering special services. They have
a good basis for the next years’ development, because of
their innovative potential” says Uta Kupsch, Manager of WIN
“Wirtschaftsförderung im Landkreis Nienburg / Weser GmbH”
(Economical Aid Nienburg / Weser Corporation). “The development
of the last years shows that enterprises with strong
focuses on niches endured the crisis better than other ones.”
A few examples show of regional diversity: one of the
biggest regional players is Henniges Automotive. 500 employees
produce exclusively for the car market in a wide product
range: the consumers reach from Audi, Bosch, BMW, and
VW to Elring, Kautex and Yazaki. The product assortment is
also wide spread: clogging for doors and rears help to keep
the interior dry, isolations prevent disturbances from sound as
well as strong movements and finally the tank opening is used
by every driver. Considerably less visible for the end consumer
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 17
Not only in the big automobile centers Emden, Wolfsburg, Hanover and Osnabrück, also in more rural
regions one can find important companies that are needed to keep the automobile industry working.
is CT data technology. The Nienburgers develop software
and computer systems for rubber production control, used
within classic tires - or also noticeable through a feeling while
hitting the brake when the brake covering is forced to work.
The consumers of CT-Technologies are widely spread: from
Henniges “just around the corner” to South Africa, China and
the US. The engaged 15 employes at CT made the enterprise
a leading software engineer for rubber production.
Again, the Lühmann Group is totally different. Beyond
the big oil companies like Aral and Shell, Lühmann runs nearly
100 gas stations in an area between Schleswig-Holstein,
Osnabrück and Hanover as well as around Mainz - called
“Classic”. “We concentrate on the more rural regions” states
Fritz Lühmann, Manager of Lühmann Group. “That´s where
we come from. Here we know the consumers. Furthermore,
these are locations that are uninteresting for the big oil companies.”
The oil distributer Lühmann is one of the big lubricant
suppliers in North Germany and provides commercial
end consumers with fuel, for example. The more rural location
is rated positively by Fritz Lühmann: “In 130 years of our
company history we never had an occasion that would have
made us move away. From the city Hoya we need 30 minutes,
in every direction to reach our clients. Besides this, the joint
community supports us very well. If we have a concern within
a day all interested parties are assembled. At a highway joint
connection we would be only one among many others.”
Contact
Wirtschaftsförderung im
Landkreis Nienburg / Weser GmbH
www.win-nienburg.de

Images (2): Nexans Deutschland GmbH
CABlES FOR THE ENERGy NETWORK
OF THE FUTURE
At its Hanover location, Nexans Deutschland GmbH produces
and markets various types of energy cables: In addition to
low-, medium- and high-voltage cables and complete system
solutions for distribution and transmission networks, the
plant produces special and hybrid cables. The company also
offers submarine cables for offshore wind farms and linking
islands as well as superconducting cable systems.
High quality standards, seamless cooperation between
the development, research and production sites and sustainable
economic activity are just some of the reasons for the
success of Nexans products made in Germany. All customers,
no matter where they are, can be sure that their needs will be
met in compliance with national and international standards
– a necessity for projects of ever increasing complexity in the
infrastructure and energy sectors.
In addition to quality, environmental protection also
plays an important role at Nexans. One example of this is the
exemplary recycling system that recycles waste from cable
production. In order to better protect natural resources,
the plant sources wood for cable drums from PEFC-certified
forests. On land or in the water: Nexans cables ensure reliable
power links – for example, at the Anholt offshore wind farm,
which covers an area measuring 88 square kilometres off the
Danish coast. To connect the 111 wind turbines with each
other and the offshore transformer station, 34 kV submarine
cables from Hanover are being installed. Even on land,
the energy cables from Niedersachsen ensure the transport
and distribution of electricity. They can be found in Italy and
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 19
Nexans has been producing cable solutions for energy networks at the company’s German
headquarters in Hanover for over 100 years.
Denmark, for example, where the energy network is being
expanded with German high-voltage cables. Nexans completed
a prestigious project in Moscow that entailed the installation
of high-voltage cables for Russia’s Skolkovo Innovation
Centre and again proved it can successfully carry out large
infrastructure projects with an international team.
Service work is also part of the Nexans portfolio: On
behalf of UK Power Networks, the 11.5 km, 132 kV section
between the Twickenham and Laleham substations in London
was modernised by replacing two paper-insulated external
gas pressure cables at each station with new, plastic-insulated
cables. The use of “pipe cables” largely avoids the need for
civil engineering work on the 11.5 km section.
Contact
Nexans Deutschland GmbH
www.nexans.de
Dr Christian Wittneven,
Member of the Nexans Deutschland
Board of Management.

Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global
20
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global 21
Wind Technology
“Made in Niedersachsen”
The future-oriented sector of modern wind technology “Made in
Germany” has its roots on Niedersachsen’s North Sea coast.
The alpha ventus wind farm off the coast of Niedersachsen.
Image: Matthias Ibeler

Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global
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The wind energy sector presents its latest developments at the leading international trade fair Husum WindEnergy.
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global 23
Image: Husum WindEnergy / Messe Husum & Congress

Image: “DEWI-Testfeld in Wilhelmshaven, © DEWI GmbH 2012”
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global
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by Juliette Rahn
1. China 2. USA 3. Germany
The Big Three
In 2011 China was the worldwide leader with a total installed output of
62,733 megawatt, followed by the USA with 46,919 megawatt and Germany
in third place with 29,060 megawatt. (Source: BWE 2011)
Wind power is one of the oldest forms of energy used by human beings. Way back in 644
the Persians recognised the inexhaustible potential of wind and built the first wind mills
to mill flour. Many centuries later, in an era of scarce raw materials and increasing energy
prices, wind power has come out of the shadows and is celebrating a great comeback as
the most cost-effective form of power generation from renewable energy sources. Modern
wind power usage has started its triumphal worldwide advance and has developed into
a competitive sector in many continents. In the Federal Republic of Germany wind power
is already a cornerstone of the country‘s energy provision. So who are the big players in
this wind boom? A journey through the German wind power industry leads Niedersachsen
Global to the rough North German sea.
After China and the USA, Germany is one of the three global players in the wind
energy sector. Manufacturers from across the world purchase wind power components and
systems “Made in Germany”. Enercon, Siemens and Nordex all supply the global markets
as large German wind energy companies. 66 percent of all wind energy plants produced
in Germany were exported in 2011, mainly to the sales markets in Europe, North America
and the Far East. This is cutting-edge technology which largely comes from Niedersachsen.
Enercon alone as the largest German wind energy company based in Niedersachsen is, with
almost 60 percent market share, the leading supplier of wind energy plants to the German
market. And the company from Aurich, based on its own data, has now also gained the
Image: Enercon GmbH
Tower segments in an Enercon assembly hall.
The TOP 3 in Germany
In 2011 with a total installed wind energy
output of 7,039 megawatt, Niedersachsen
is the leading Federal State
for wind energy in the Federal Republic
of Germany. The Federal State of
Brandenburg with 4,600 megawatt is
in second place, followed by the Federal
State of Sachsen-Anhalt with 3,642
megawatt. (Source: DEWI 2011)
Saarbrücken
Dusseldorf
Mainz
Wiesbaden
Kiel
Bremen
Stuttgart
Hamburg
Hanover
Erfurt
Schwerin
Magdeburg
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global 25
DEWI test field in Wilhelmshaven. The DEWI is a Niedersachsen research company based in Cuxhaven,
which was established by the Federal State of Niedersachsen and is now independent.
7,039
3,642
Munich
Potsdam
Berlin
Dresden
4,600

Image: Husum WindEnergy / Messe Husum & Congress
More and more countries are intensifying their developments and expansion of wind energy usage and in the near future will require
cutting-edge technology which will largely come from Niedersachsen.
top position in Europe with more than 26 percent market share. But
that is still not enough as measured against the installed output of
over 19,500 wind energy plants, Enercon has a worldwide market
share of seven percent. Important export markets for this wind giant
are Sweden, Portugal, Turkey and Canada.
As far as the eye can see. Steel energy giants up to 200
metres high tower into the clear blue sky of the Niedersachsen
planes. This is where 25 percent of all German wind turbines turn.
Niedersachsen backed the wind energy horse very early on. A recipe
for success: In 2012 with a total installed wind energy output of
over 7,000 megawatt, Niedersachsen is the pioneer in this sector
in Germany. Onshore wind energy has, to date, been the driving
force in the expansion of wind energy. Felix Rehwald from Enercon
sums up: “Niedersachsen still has considerable potential for the
further expansion of onshore wind energy. Enercon is using this and
is creating further wind energy projects in Niedersachsen together
with its customers.” The new rotor blade factory in Emsland built by
Enercon started production in summer 2012. Niedersachsen plans
to aim even higher in the installation of new wind power plants. In
order to use existing sites in the state more efficiently, older smaller
systems are being replaced by new large turbines, known as “repowering”.
Every further metre of height results in one percent more
output yield. “In Niedersachsen various repowering projects have
already been implemented which have led to a significantly more
efficient use of the sites”, confirms Bernd Neddermann from the
German Wind Energy Institute (DEWI). However, wind energy is also
very important as an employment driver and industry sector. A study
by the Institute of Economic Structures Research and the Centre for
Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg confirms
this trend: Out of 100,000 German jobs in the wind sector, about
22,000 of these are located in Niedersachsen.
Niedersachsen is a technology leader in the wind energy sector.
Already back in the early 1990s it had developed the necessary
research structures which today cover the entire value chain of
a wind power plant. The German Wind Energy Institute (DEWI)
set up in 1990 with support from the Federal State of Nieder-
sachsen is a pioneer in the wind technology sector. Today it is an
internationally sought after consultancy company with subsidiaries,
amongst others, in Spain and China, two countries which play an
important role in the international market in the wind technology
sector. Every two years the Institute runs the international specialist
conference DEWEK in Bremen, which is generating more and more
interest. In 2012 more than 600 wind energy experts from across
the world are expected. Also held in high international esteem is the
Images (2): Deutsche Messe AG
“The competition in the
international wind energy
market stimulates important
innovations, the results
of which are exhibited at
the trade fairs in Hanover
and Husum.”
Jochen Köckler, a Member of the Board of Deutsche Messe AG
Since 2009 as part of the “Hannover
Messe” every two years Deutsche
Messe AG has organised the
leading trade fair “Wind” which has
now become a meeting point for
manufacturers and suppliers in the
wind sector from across the world.
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global 27

Centre for Wind Energy Research - ForWind which brings to-
gether the research work in Niedersachsen from nearly all
areas of expertise at the Universities of Oldenburg, Hanover
and Bremen. In 2009 the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy
and Energy System Technology (IWES) was founded from the
established existing research structures. This represents concentrated
expertise in wind energy which is respected around
the globe. In addition to government and university institutions,
companies like Enercon also undertake research in this
field. A new Research and Development Centre is currently
being built in Aurich. “Our company sees this investment as
a commitment to its sites in Niedersachsen – a region that
has always been of great importance for the onshore wind
energy sector,” stresses Felix Rehwald from Enercon.
Wind Technology
Niedersachsen Global 29
In 2012 Niedersachsen had an installed
wind energy output of over 7,000 Megawatt >>
25% of all German wind turbines turn in
Niedersachsen
German know-how in wind technology is in demand around
the world – and not without reason as German wind energy
companies took advantage early on of local networks and
trade fairs in order to develop international markets together.
A pioneer was Husum WindEnergy. For almost 25 years the
trade fair held every two years in the harbour town of Husum
in Schleswig-Holstein has been a must for leading manufacturers
of wind energy plants from the USA, China and
Europe. “It has established itself as the traditional meeting
place for the wind energy industry. The trade fair is very well
received by our customers as well as by most of the industry”
notes Rehwald from Enercon and adds, “As manufacturers
we make use of the trade fair to present our new products.
At hardly any other event can one meet so many sector
The wind energy sector as a jobs driver of the future. Dirk Bergmann, owner of SHE Solution GmbH, during an
abseil exercise. SHE Solution GmbH offers educational and training programmes for the offshore industry.
Image: Rolf Fremgen

epresentatives and decision-makers.” In close cooperation
with Husum WindEnergy, Deutsche Messe AG based in the
Niedersachsen capital of Hanover is also devoting itself to
the wind sector. And since 2009 within the framework of
the “Hannover Messe”, it has organised the leading trade
fair Wind in the odd years. “Manufacturers and suppliers of
the wind sector have for many years been an integral part
of the ‘Hannover Messe’,” said Jochen Köckler, a Member
of the Board of Deutsche Messe AG. Peter Becker, Managing
Director of Messe Husum and Congress accentuates
the benefits of this cooperation, which was consolidated
in autumn 2011 with a joint Wind Alliance. “More inter-
national markets are being developed through the Wind
Alliance and in Germany a showcase for the sector is being
created with appeal beyond Europe.” A platform specifically
for the offshore sector is provided by the Wind Energy
Economy in North West Germany (WAB) network based in
Bremerhaven and Berlin. Since 2002 more than 350 companies
and institutes have become partners of the offshore
specialists. “Most of our members come from Niedersachsen
to whom we feel an obligation. We offer them access to
new markets through joint booths at national and international
trade fairs and congresses” explains the WAB Managing
Director. For many years the network has also been
cultivating contacts with important international players.
“Through our annual offshore trade fair Windforce we are in
close contact with most international offshore experts. Just
recently members of the network were in China.” A spirit of
optimism. Around the globe a fresh breeze is blowing and
getting stronger. More and more countries are intensifying
their developments and expansion of wind energy usage and
in the near future will require cutting-edge technology which
will largely come from Niedersachsen. The prevailing mood
is positive and there is still much to do. By 2020 the Federal
State Government government is expecting a doubling of
onshore wind energy capacity in Niedersachsen to 14,000
megawatts. The Federal State is receiving backing from the
Federal Republic of Germany which has introduced the Renewable
Energies Act (EEG) which provides stable framework
conditions for the expansion of wind energy in Germany.
Niedersachsen is aiming high in order to maintain its technological
advance. “The wind industry in Niedersachsen has
a broad base from research, production through to maintenance
and operations”, confirms Ronny Meyer, Managing
Director of the network Wind Energy Agency and Stephan
Barth from ForWind adds: “The high innovation potential
locally has generated the biggest and most efficient wind
energy plants in the world and as a result Niedersachsen is
also very well equipped for any future repowering and for the
efficient use of wind energy.”
Contact
Husum WindEnergy
www.husumwindenergy.com
Hannover Messe
www.hannovermesse.com
Wind farm with E-53 systems.
Image: Enercon GmbH

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Image: EWE Aktiengesellschaft
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New services for more intelligent energy
management: the EWE trio smartbox.
Contact
EWE Aktiengesellschaft
Tirpitzstraße 39
26122 Oldenburg
www.ewe.de
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 33
EWE AG in Oldenburg is a regional energy supplier and is a pioneer in energy generation from
renewable energy sources.
Image: EWE Aktiengesellschaft
Alpha ventus: No other wind farm in the world is located as far away from the mainland or installed in waters as deep.
Not only does a lot of wind blow on the Niedersachsen coast,
many wind turbines have also been turning for decades.
These have now become a typical image of the area. This is
because the region between the Ems and the Elbe is an ideal
area for implementing the energy revolution as it has good
conditions for a climate-friendly energy supply.
With the offshore alpha ventus wind farm completed in
2009, EWE together with other project partners is operating
the first offshore wind farm in the Deutsche Bucht making it
a pioneer in this sector. In 2013 Riffgat, the second wind farm
in the North Sea, will be commissioned, which will produce
electricity for about 130,000 households. With its commitment
to the sea and its more than 50 systems installed on
land, EWE is making a considerable contribution to an ever
larger amount of electricity in Niedersachsen being produced
from wind power. EWE is therefore playing its part in
establishing Niedersachsen as Germany‘s number one energy
Federal State. The State Government in Niedersachsen has set
itself the objective of ensuring a reliable and environmentallyfriendly
energy supply by 2020 and with at least one quarter
of it originating from renewable energy sources. And to
accomplish this, a reliable and skilled partner who will accept
and implement this challenge is required, since not only a
sustainable and climate-friendly energy supply is important,
so is the expansion of the total network infrastructure for
the future energy supply. Over the next few years EWE is
investing more than EUR 100 million in this sector alone.
EWE has 8,800 employees making it one of the biggest
employers in Niedersachsen. The group not only operates in
Niedersachsen, Bremen and Brandenburg but also in Poland
and Turkey. The company combines the three key sectors of
energy, telecommunications and information technology and
also has a heavy focus on research.

Image: Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
34 Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global
Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global 35
Chemicals are well-placed
in the North
Low-fat foodstuffs, forgery-safe credit cards and banknotes,
breathable clothing, heavy-duty rotor blades for wind power plants,
lighter materials, these are all chemical products from Niedersachsen
which provide innovative solutions for the whole world.

Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global
36
Image: CoastSite Wilhelmshaven e.V.
Image: IndustriePark Lingen
CoastSite Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is an energy nerve centre, a site for cuttingedge
chemicals and maritime technologies. With the Container
Terminal Wilhelmshaven, the Jade-Weser-Port, the largest
crude oil transshipment location in Germany and its geographic
and logistical benefits, Wilhelmshaven offers ideal location
conditions for the chemicals industry.
www.coastsite.info
Industrial Park lingen
The Industrial Park lingen covers an area of about 500
hectares making it one of the biggest industrial parks in
Germany. The university, the professional academy, the
vocational training schools and the full-time vocational
chemical college have put lingen (Ems) on the map as an
established training location.
www.industriepark-lingen.de
In 2012 Süderelbe AG instigated the “stade-project
2021” and “deltaland”, two site development
projects, with the main aim of generating regional
growth and an employment impetus. For more
information visit www.chemcoastpark-stade.de
and www.deltaland.de
ChemCoast e.V.
ChemCoast is an amalgamation of the Chemical Parks in
the North which include in Niedersachsen the locations
of Stade, Seelze, Walsrode and Wilhelmshaven.
www.chemcoast.de
Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
COASTSIdE
WIlHElmSHAVEN
INdUSTrIAl PArk
lINGEN
Fine chemicals have been developed and produced for more
than 100 years in Seelze about 15 minutes drive to the east
of Hanover. Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
produces about 2,000 speciality chemicals. About 50 different
industry sectors across the whole world benefit from the products
and innovations “Made in Niedersachsen”.
www.honeywellseelze.com
Image: Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
CHEmCOAST
PArk STAdE
BrEmEN
HAmBUrG
INdUSTrIAl PArk
WAlSrOdE
HANOVEr
HONEyWEll SPECIAlTy
CHEmICAlS SEElZE
VCI Nord
VCI Nord, a state-level association of the German
Chemical Industry Association, is based in Hanover and
represents about 270 member companies with about
480,000 employees.
www.vci-nord.de
ChemCoast Park Stade
Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global 37
The ChemCoast Park Stade concentrates on creating synergies
between potential investors and the Stade site by utilizing
existing and creating new and promising location conditions
for industry. The modern fully integrated infrastructure and wide
range of shared services available offer direct investments the
best prerequisites for long-term, cost-effective production.
www.chemcoast.de/en/locations/stade
Industrial Park Walsrode (IPW)
The Industrial Park Walsrode is a very
professionally managed and efficiently
structured multi-user site. Most of the
companies are market and technology
leaders in their sectors. Cellulose
chemistry and plastics processing are
the cornerstones of the IPW. Almost 25
hectares of land are available, of which
currently sites covering 1 hectare and
around 6.5 hectares are currently
fully serviced.
www.industriepark-walsrode.com
Image: Dow
Image: Industriepark Walsrode

Images (6): Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH
Innovations from Niedersachsen
Image: Tatjana Balzer – Fotolia.com
The diversity of chemistry: low-fat foodstuffs, water-repellent and breathable
clothing, roller blinds which are opaque and impervious to light, medicaments
with delayed-action dosage, heavy-duty rotor blades for larger and more efficient
wind power plants, lightweight aircraft and cars, sausage casings, kite surf sails,
plasters, stucco mouldings, safety glass, bullet-proof vests, cars, aircraft, toothpastes,
credit cards, cheques, bank notes, passports and personal documents,
dialysis solutions for people suffering from kidney disease, piping, window
profiles, packaging films, floor coverings and cables, sports equipment, electronic
components - these are just some of the products which benefit from chemical
innovations from Niedersachsen.
Image: Hamik – Fotolia.com
Image: Gina Sanders – Fotolia.com
Exports of chemical-pharmaceutical products by
countries 2011 EUR million (Source: VCI)
Other
Europe
Asia
NAFTA
by Katrin Langemann
12 %
14 %
9 %
Other
5 %
60 %
EU 27
With the export of chemical products being worth over €150 billion
in 2011, Germany is the world champion in chemical exports for
the ninth consecutive time. The total share of the global chemical
export market was a good eleven percent and this ranks Germany
in first place, above the USA, Belgium and China. According to
Dr. Utz Tillmann, Director-General of the German Chemical Industry
Association (VCI), “The central role in the industrial network,
the high level of innovation, intensive cooperation with academic
institutions and science plus the orientation of product strategies
to mega-trends and sustainability are the decisive strengths where
our sector scores highly. Additional factors are the very diverse
nature of Germany’s small and medium-sized enterprises, a pragmatic
partnership between management and employees and the
successful Chemicals Park model which is being imitated more and
more abroad as a site concept.”
In Niedersachsen the chemicals industry is one of the ten largest
manufacturing sectors. About 50,000 people are employed in
the chemicals sector (including rubber and plastics). In 2011 revenue
from the chemicals/pharmaceuticals industry was approximately
€10.5 billion which represents an increase of 10.3% over the previous
year. Overall in 2011 Niedersachsen’s share represents a good
5.7% of total revenue of the German chemicals/pharmaceuticals
industry. In the words of Renate Klingenberg, Deputy Managing
Director VCI Nord and Managing Director of ChemCoast e.V., “A
key success factor for the chemicals industry in Niedersachsen is its
central role in an integrated value chain. From the manufacture of
basic and speciality chemicals through the construction of a wind
power station or a car, the key players are networked with each
other locally. A good infrastructure and well-qualified specialist
personnel are also the strengths of this region.”
World exports of the chemical-pharmaceutical
industry 2011 EUR million (Source: VCI)
200
150
100
50
0
152 135
100
Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global 39
73 71 66 61 63 58 57
Germany
USA
Belgium
China
France
Netherlands
Great Britain
Switzerland
Ireland
Japan
Due to raw material availability, favourable infrastructures and transportation
options primarily through seaports and inland ports as
well as mature industrial structures, the chemicals industry in Nieder-
sachsen manifests very good conditions in these locations. In 2012
Süderelbe AG initiated the two development projects “stade-project
2021” and “deltaland” to generate a regional growth and an
employment momentum for Stade and Bomlitz.
One of Niedersachsen’s biggest chemical producers is the
company Dow with its two sites in Stade and Bomlitz/Industrial Park
Walsrode. According to Ralf Brinkmann, President and Chairman of
Dow Germany “Niedersachsen is a high-tech state in which many
excellent innovations for sustainable development are created and
brought to market maturity. This is just the right environment for the
further development of our speciality chemicals portfolio. One good
example is the subject of renewable energies. This is a grow-ing
market which is very attractive for Dow. In Stade we manufacture
epoxy resins for carbon fibre reinforced composite materials (CFRP),
which is used for rotor blades of modern wind power stations.”
Most rotor blades of actual wind power stations were frequently
produced out of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP). For larger,
more powerful wind turbine systems with heavy-duty rotor blades
and a bigger span the GFRP materials have reached their limits.
The alternative is CFRP - it consists of a support structure made of
carbon fiber which is “baked” with epoxy resin. The CFRP material
is as resilient and flexible as metal but very light. The expertise and
competencies related to CFRP material are brought together at CFK-
Valley Stade e.V., a network with over 100 international members
including Dow – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of epoxy
resins. The epoxy resins are also used to manufacture aircraft and
automotive parts, sports equipment, electronic components and

Image: Baerlocher GmbH
Inside the Baerlocher-Labor at the Lingen site.
as adhesive or coating material. At the Bomlitz site in the Industrial
Park Walsrode, Dow Wolff Cellulosics manufactures products
from the renewable, natural raw material of cellulose which help
reduce overweight, diabetes and allergies, make vegetarian foods
more attractive and ensure precise dosage of agents in medicaments.
For example, through the use of Dow additives, the fat
content in foodstuffs can be reduced by up to 50 percent without
the texture and mouth feeling suffering. Reduced-fat cakes and
crackers benefit from this technology as do meat and German-style
sausage products. Dow’s cellulose products are also very effective
in the pharmaceutical sector as they enable medicaments to release
their agent only gradually after taking them. About 100 chemists,
lab technicians and process engineers from across the world work in
the Research and Development Centre in Bomlitz on new innovative
products which make everyday life easier.
Chemistry is life
Fascinating, colourful, diverse – chemistry is one of the
most fascinating sciences and industries. Through its
innovative products chemistry changes our lives and
makes our daily routines easier. And what’s more, it is
biochemical processes that make life itself possible at all.
Also located in the Industrial Park Walsrode is Epurex Films,
a subsidiary of Bayer MaterialScience. The specialist in technical,
high-performance films has specialised for over 25 years in the
development, manufacture and distribution of high-grade polyurethane
films, breathable membranes and high-performance hot melt adhesive
films. The application areas of the films are virtually limitless
and include the automotive and medical sectors, the construction
industry and the textile and leisure sectors. For instance breathable
membrane films make functional clothing water-repellent but also
water-vapour permeable - perfect for wind and weather. Polyurethane
films also ensure that roller blinds are opaque and impervious
to light and also that car seats can withstand high stresses due to
their high elasticity and tear resistance properties. Special films from
Niedersachsen can be found again and again in kite surf sails, plasters,
stucco mouldings, safety glass and bullet-proof vests – always
invisible but with an essential function.
CaseTech is all about sausages. The company in the Industrial
Park Walsrode is one of the few companies worldwide which produces
both coated and uncoated cellulose fibrous casings and also plastic
casings in its product portfolio. Produced under the brand name
“Walsroder” CaseTech has been producing, printing and finishing
in Bomlitz since 1928. Managing Director Jens Roesler says, “Every
sausage casing manufactured by CaseTech offers users a product
that is totally customised for the production of his products and
they are perfect solutions for excellent end-products, be they meat,
sausage or cheese.” About 80 percent of all goods are exported to
over 72 countries. According to Gerrit Lieske, Head of the Industrial
Park Walsrode, “The Industrial Park Walsrode is a very professionally
managed and efficiently structured multi-user site. Most of the
companies located here are market and technology leaders in their
sectors. Cellulose chemistry and plastics processing are the cornerstones
of the IPW. With Dow Wolff Cellulosics and the US parent
company, The Dow Chemical Company, the region has one of the
world’s largest chemical companies on its side. Niedersachsen’s chemical
parks and sites score highly with their modern and efficient
infrastructures. Prestigious international research institutes and
innovative networks such as the ChemCoast-Verbund and the
BIORegion form an ideal environment for Niedersachsen to position
itself in international comparisons as a chemicals location.”
Another Niedersachsen-based global player is Honeywell
based in Seelze. Fine chemicals have been developed and produced
for more than 100 years about 15 minutes drive to the East
of Hanover. Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH produces
about 2,000 speciality chemicals. About 50 different industry
sectors across the whole world benefit from the products and
innovations “Made in Niedersachsen”. Speciality chemicals are
found for example in cars, toothpastes, infusion solutions
and aircraft seats, they generate matt surfaces in electric light
bulbs and for bottles, are used for treating metal surfaces, help to
preserve wood and also reduce the inflammability of wool.
Luminous pigments from Honeywell help make valuable documents
forgery-proof. Inorganic salts are important ingredients for
dialysis solutions for people suffering from kidney disease.
The company that is part of the US Group Honeywell manu-
factures chemicals for the electronics industry for etching and
cleaning which are required for the manufacture of microchips.
Honeywell is also one of the leading manufacturers of process
chemicals for silicon-based solar cells.
Chemicals
Niedersachsen Global 41
The largest production plant of the worldwide company
Baerlocher GmbH is located in western Niedersachsen in Lingen
(Ems). The Baerlocher Group of Companies employs over 1,200
people and has production sites worldwide. It is one of the leading
suppliers of innovative additive systems for the plastics processing
industry. The company supplies products for the PVC sector (e.g.
for the manu-facture of piping, window profiles, packaging films,
floor coverings and cables) as well as other polymer Industries
such as polyolefins. In addition to products for plastics, Baerlocher
supplies creative solutions to the construction and lubricants
industries. The Lingen site, where Baerlocher also provides training
in various professions, was established in 1987 and has been
continuously expanded since then. To celebrate the 175th anniversary
of the company in 1998, the Plastics Additive Museum was
created. Through rotating special exhibitions the museum provides
information about the history and future of additive production as
well as an overview of the role of plastics in everyday life.
Dralon GmbH in Lingen is the world’s biggest producer of
dry and wet spun acrylic fibres. The high-tech material is used,
amongst other things, for warm bedspreads, light-resistant and
colour-fast sun protection, soft baby clothing, functional sports
fashion and hard-wearing workwear. Dralon in Lingen has been
producing wet-spun fibres since 1972. Total production runs at
68,000 tonnes per year. Both Baerlocher and Dralon are located
on the Industrial Park Lingen. According to Helmut Höke from
the interdisciplinary marketing team, “The Industrial Park Lingen
It is impossible to imagine the film industry today without the complex functionalities of PINA ® photo dyes from Honeywell.
Image: Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Seelze GmbH

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Material characterization
New materials
Materials development
Processing
Life prediction p / aging
Simulation
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“Leachables” in polymer materials
Education and training
D-30519 Hanover
Eupener Straße 33
Phone: +49(0) 511 8 42 01
pr-DIK@DIKautschuk.de
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covers an area of about 500 hectares making it one of the
biggest industrial parks in Germany. Lingen has established
itself as a training location with the university, the professional
academy, the vocational training schools and the
full-time vocational chemical college.”
Ineos is one of the largest worldwide chemical companies
with 60 production sites and 15,000 employees across
13 countries. The chemicals industry in Wilhelmshaven
specialises in PVC production. Ineos ChlorVinyls is Europe’s
leading PVC manufacturer, one of the largest chlorine
manufacturers in Europe and a worldwide leader in chlorine
derivatives. In Wilhelmshaven it operates the two production
sites in Voslapp and in Rüstersiel. Dr. Peter Prinz, Managing
Director of Ineos ChlorVinyls explains, “Our inventory includes
a chlorine plant with a production capacity of 137,000
tonnes of chlorine and 300,000 tonnes of sodium hydroxide
per year, a VCM plant with a production capacity of
400,000 tonnes, a PVC plant with an annual capacity of
380,000 tonnes, supply systems for the provision of energy
and operating resources as well as a harbour dock for
the import and export of raw materials, intermediate and
finished products.”
In Wilhelmshaven are also located the most important
and biggest crude oil import facilities of Germany. The
hub for handling, storage and transportation of crude oil is
Nord-West Oelleitung GmbH (NWO). In 2011 about 17.5 million
tonnes of oil were handled by NWO and transported by
pipeline to the connected refineries in the Emsland (Lingen)
and to refineries in the Rhine- and Ruhr-Region as well as to
the refinery in Hamburg. Crude oil and its further processing
in refineries supplies the chemicals industry with the most
important raw materials. The total crude volume handled by
NWO makes up approximately one fifth of all German crude
oil imports. The provenience of most of the oil is Russia (7.5
million tonnes), however countries like the United Kingdom,
Norway and Nigeria are also important suppliers. Other comparable
plants and facilities in Europe are located in Trieste,
Rotterdam and Marseilles. According to Dr.-Ing Jörg Niegsch,
managing director of NWO, “This excellent location is very
beneficial and convenient for marine transportation. The abi-
“A key success factor
for the chemicals industry
in Niedersachsen
is its central role in an
integrated value chain.”
Renate Klingenberg, Deputy Managing Director VCI Nord
and Managing Director of ChemCoast e.V.
At the Bomlitz site in the Industrial Park Walsrode, Dow
Wolff Cellulosics manufactures products which make
everyday life easier from the renewable, natural raw
material of cellulose.
lity for ships to dock even with a draught of 18 metres makes
Wilhelmshaven a first-class and unique location. The Jade-
Weser-Port will additionally offer new opportunities to interconnect
the coastal area as a region for chemical industry.
Through these modern ports the location of Niedersachsen
can offer an excellent gateway for connections to the international
seaway network. In conjunction with the advantage
of location there is considerable potential for growth of the
German chemicals industry. With “Chem Coast e.V.” a skilled
contact partner is available in Niedersachsen. In a nutshell:
The chemicals industry is well-placed in the North!”
CoastSite is responsible for the promotion, marketing
and development of the location of Wilhelmshaven for
chemicals and technology companies. According to Andreas
Leonhardt, Chairman of CoastSite Wilhelmshaven e.V.,
“Wilhelmshaven is an energy nerve centre, a site for cutting-edge
chemicals and maritime technologies. The chemicals
location of Wilhelmshaven sees the container terminal
and the goods transportation centre in the Jade-Weser-
Port and its geographic and logistical benefits as an outstanding
opportunity to consolidate the coastal area as a
chemicals region.”
With international groups such as Dow, Honeywell and
Ineos, the new Jade-Weser-Port deep water harbour and an
outstanding infrastructure, the chemical location of Niedersachsen
is in a very good international position. Gerrit Lieske,
Head of the Industrial Park Walsrode is looking to the future,
“Sustainability, protecting resources and customised solutions
focused on the needs of people will form the foundations of
our activities over the next few years. The industry must not
only convey to people that chemical products are essential
parts of our lives but also that through our research and our
solutions the chemical industry makes a considerable contribution
to overcoming challenges such as global warming,
nutrition or mobility.”
Image: Dow

piccoplant Mikrovermehrungen GmbH
Brokhauser Weg 75 . 26129 Oldenburg
+49(0)441 / 969 80 - 0 . www.piccoplant.de
info@piccoplant.de
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4_Anzeige_02.indd 1 14.08.12 11:52
Image: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
What are the core competencies at LPKF?
We are mechanical engineers with a specialisation in laser
micromaterial processing. This requires skills in precision
drive technology, laser technology and optics as well as
control engineering and software. Only when we perform
with excellence in all areas do the laser systems provide
what customers expect from them.
LPKF operates worldwide and has an export ratio of
90 percent. You export 47 percent to Asia, of which
two-thirds is exported to China. What is specific to
the Chinese market?
In reality even more systems go to China since many of the
internationally invoiced laser systems land in production
sites in Asia. These systems must run 24/7, be low maintenance
and easy to use. In the Chinese market you can only
be successful if you have reliable partners located near to
the customers. LPKF works with seven subsidiaries in China
and with a professional service network.
The Chinese government has still not set up any special
financial support for laser technology. Is that
positive for LPKF or does it not make any difference
since your expertise is primarily in individual pieces
or small ranges?
The ranges that we produce and deliver are not that small,
but when taken as part of a full costing, our laser processes
are often more cost-effective than other production
methods. We only need simple and reasonably-priced component
carriers and we can respond extremely flexibly to
layout changes and considerably reduce the time-to-market.
The bottom line is what counts. Also there are often
no alternatives when complex and high-precision structures
are required.
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 45
LPKF has skills in precision drive technology,
laser technology and optics as
well as control engineering and software.
Photo: CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer.
SPECIAlISTS IN lASER MICROMATERIAl PROCESSING
Technology from LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in Hanover is contained in every second
smartphone. CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer discusses the sales market in China, the future of the solar
sector and a possible entry into the TecDax.
Contact
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG: www.lpkf.com
How many employees do you have in your seven sites
in China and how many in Germany?
Over the last few years we have now grown to 640 employees
worldwide. These are broken down into 455 in Germany
and 77 in Asia.
How seriously should the subject of plagiarism and
patent infringement in China be taken?
Occasionally we see such attempts but the combination
of high-tech, software and process expertise protects us
from this. However, we still take the subject seriously. Some
suppliers infringe our patents for 3D components. We have
worldwide procedures to protect our ideas and inventions.
LPKF has been developing LDS technology for over ten
years. How far has this technology come in that time?
We are identifying more and more applications. Laser
Direct Structuring (LDS) applies conducting tracks onto
three-dimensional components, combining electronic and
mechanical functions. We estimate that a LDS component
is contained in every second smartphone. Slowly being
added to this now are Notebook and Tablet antennas
when weight is to be reduced. We are also successful in
the medical sector. For instance, LDS technology can be
used to produce particularly small and light hearing aids.
Other good examples can be found in automotive technology.
For instance a radar sensor carrier combines the radar
antenna with the electronic evaluation systems, enabling
the car to identify vehicles in front or any obstructions in
the direction of travel.
In September your company could enter the TecDax.
What will change then?
Nothing at all! We will continue to develop excellent products
and place a notable part of our earnings into research
and development. LPKF already has financial reporting
which provides shareholders and investors with maximum
transparency. We are looking forward to TecDax because
we expect increased international interest as a result.

Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen Global
46
Foreign Trade Prize 2012
The 9th Niedersachsen Foreign Trade Day 2012 in Hanover
was totally dedicated to the ASEAN region. The 2012
Foreign Trade Prize was awarded to the company Purplan.
In the interview Purplan MD Andreas Sandmann talks about the
skills, expertise and international ambitions of his company.
Interview: Stefanie Stüting
Were you surprised to win the foreign trade prize?
We were very surprised that Purplan was awarded the Niedersachsen Foreign Trade
Prize. Our co-nominees are all very well placed companies with impressive international
performance. However, we did have a little ray of hope as in the last few years we have
made waves in our foreign trade activities and achieved some things.
In which countries is Purplan now represented and where do you supply?
In Germany Purplan is represented by the head office in Wallenhorst, Niedersachsen
and by another site in Freimersheim, Rheinland-Pfalz. Added to this are our international
subsidiaries in China and the USA. The latter is currently under construction. Overall we
have 140 employees working for our group. A network of international representations
in Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and South Africa supports our employees worldwide so
that our systems can now be found spread across the whole planet - from Russia through
India, Chile, the Middle East to Canada and many more.
What is the biggest challenge to accessing new markets and being on the
road there?
A big challenge and particularly for small and medium-enterprises is to obtain the necessary
local knowledge about the market in question. Therefore in this regard it is sensible
to build up your networks in good time. Trade mission trips, participation in business pools
and in international days held by local chambers of commerce and industry can help with
this. The German foreign trade chambers also provide excellent support in this regard and
set up contacts to the local chambers. This all enables you to gain an initial impression of
the circumstances of a country/region and also to meet a few contact partners.
Another challenge is the flexibility required to firmly establish yourself in an international
market. It is also necessary to be flexible in the application of existing expertise
and experiences so as to meet the needs of the new local customer group. Even if the
technical core units of our systems are characterised by German know-how, it is still necessary
to consider the specific situations of the particular country. Examples of these include
the existing processes and systems in the processing industry of the respective country
which require customised management concepts. It is also recommended to incorporate
any different regulatory frameworks, climate conditions and existing procedural steps for
approvals into the project work from an early stage. Added to this are the “soft factors”
Below: Purplan Product
ANA-safety installations (with
attention button and emergency
stop) are manually operated,
automatically shutting safety
installations on tank trucks which
are able to prevent the leakage
of larger quantities of watercontaminating
liquids during the
container-filling process.
such as the specific requirements which the customers of a cultural
group have from their business partner, business etiquette, how to
approach prospects, etc. We reinvent ourselves nearly every day.
How would you briefly describe the technological capabilities
and products of Purplan?
As a special system builder Purplan supports the plastics processing
and chemicals industry worldwide to store and process the
liquid raw materials used in an efficient, safe and environmentallyfriendly
manner. Its focal points here are polyurethanes and synthetic
resins, in other words the substances from which car fittings,
insulating and adhesive materials, mattresses, varnish, rainwear
etc are made. For this Purplan not only develops and produces
tanks, mixing tanks, reaction systems and much more but also
offers very extensive services such as automation designs, process
consultancy, remote support, maintenance and training courses
etc. The challenge for Purplan is to combine high-level engineering
with innovative technologies and solid craftsmanship. Through
the cooperation of our employees who have the most diverse of
Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen’s Economics Minister Jörg Bode
(right) presented the Foreign Trade Prize 2012 for
excellent export trade performance on the occasion
of the 9th Niedersachsen Foreign Trade Day as
part of the “Hannover Messe” to Purplan MD
Andreas Sandmann.
Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen Global 47
backgrounds and experiences, we ensure this happens and as a
result achieve the best possible results for our customer projects.
Does your company have something that is typical of
Niedersachsen?
Purplan has disseminated itself across the world from its base in
Niedersachsen in a very short time. Here our persistence and desire
to try something new has also driven us forward. However, at the
same time we have remained very down to earth and strongly rooted
in the local region. I would say that is typical of Niedersachsen!
What are your plans for the future and what medium-term
goals have you set for yourselves?
In the future we want to continue to consolidate our corporate
head office in Niedersachsen. Therefore we are currently investing
heavily to expand the Wallenhorst site. At the same time we will
continue to stretch out our feelers across the world. South America
is a market that is equally exciting as India or the whole ASEAN
area for us.
Images (2): NGlobal

Images (5): NGlobal
Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen Global
48
Profiles of the companies nominated
for the Foreign Trade Prize.
Nominated Small and Medium Enterprises
Ge:Net GmbH based in Clausthal-Zellerfeld is active
in the trendsetting sector of renewable energies.
The company manufactures and delivers worldwide
turnkey wind measuring systems for the wind energy
sector. These include masts, measuring systems,
assembly and maintenance. Company owner and
Managing Director Dr.-Ing. Carsten Ropeter can now
look back on ten years experience and more than
270 constructed measuring masts. Ge:Net employs
23 people in Clausthal-Zellerfeld. The products provide
data on the economic efficiency of wind parks.
Current practice is the remote transfer by GSM network
or by satellite.
Piccoplant GmbH
H. Vogelsand maschinenbau GmbH
Hydrotec Technologies AG
Purplan GmbH
Solarlux Aluminiumsysteme GmbH
Heller-leder GmbH & Co. kG in Hehlen produces leather
for automotive companies such as Porsche. Chair and office
furniture manufacturers such as Cor, Rolf Benz, Wilkhahn
and Vitra also benefit from the fine quality materials from
Hehlen, where the entire production process takes place,
starting from the raw untreated delivered hides through to the
high-quality final product. The company’s own waste water
treatment plant ensures the highest environmental standards.
This traditional company founded in 1920 is now being managed
by the fourth generation of the family. 180 people are
employed in Hehlen. The company supplies partner companies
and direct customers in the USA, China and in many
other European companies.
Experts in the controlled drainage of surface water work
at Hydrotec Technologies AG in Wildeshausen. The
company produces drainage channels for car parks and
for many other sealed surfaces. The company is known
worldwide for its manhole covers - popularly known as
gully tops and which are manufactured in many different
sizes. Wildeshausen represents design and development
and companies in China, India and Turkey produce the
drainage, gas & water supply products on commission
orders. The 85 employees in Wildeshausen generate
around €50 million every year.
Heller-leder GmbH
Symrise AG
Ge:Net GmbH
Purplan GmbH in Wallenhorst is a system
builder for tanks, liquid mixing containers and
reaction systems for synthetic resins. The chemicals
industry uses Purplan tanks for liquid
plastics. Purplan’s operations are virtually
worldwide, with the exception of Australia and
Argentina and in Wallenhorst 120 employees
generate around € 16 million revenue per annum.
(See interview on page 46.)
Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen Global 49
Piccoplant mikrovermehrung GmbH in Oldenburg is the world’s
market leader in lilac production. The company has 300 varieties of
lilac alone in its product portfolio including some rare Russian varieties.
Piccoplant also supplies azaleas, rhododendrons and bamboos.
All the plants are produced biotechnologically in a natural way in small
test tubes and without the use of chemicals. This leads to the creation
of six million seedlings per year which range from rare poplars
through asparagus up to virus-free elite plants and renewable resources
as sustainable, perennial biomass-plants as a replacement for
corn. 80 percent of production is exported, to most EU countries but
also to China and Russia. Piccoplant employs 70 people in Oldenburg.

1
Nominated large companies for the special award
Symrise AG in Holzminden is one four largest global suppliers
of fragrance and flavouring agents. Its portfolio covers
fragrance and flavouring agents, aroma chemicals
and functional ingredients. Its customers range from multi-
national company groups to regional manufacturers who
use Symrise products to produce foodstuffs, drinks, food
supplements, pharmaceutical preparations, perfumes, cosmetics,
personal care products as well as cleaning agents
and detergents. Symrise manufactures more than 30,000
products worldwide and these are frequently based on natural
raw materials such as vanilla, citrus fruits, flowers or
plants. The company exports its products to more than 160
countries and 2,100 of the company’s 5,000 employees work
at the company’s head office in Holzminden. In 2010 the
MDAX listed company generated revenue of € 1,572 billion.
Also operating on a global basis is Solarlux Aluminium
Systeme GmbH. The world’s leading system supplier of
glass folding walls, balcony glazing and glass structures
has its production base in Bissendorf and Osnabrück. Solarlux
operates in 50 countries across the world and has
numerous subsidiaries, sales offices and licensees. 500 of
the 600 employees work in production at the head office of
the family business in Bissendorf.
Foreign Trade Prize
Niedersachsen Global 51
Hugo Vogelsang maschinenbau GmbH in Essen near Oldenburg
operates on a global basis. It has developed a range
of technologies around its core product, the elastomercoated
rotary lobe pump. This includes the RotaCut wet
macerator for coarse and fibrous matter in pipe systems.
Vogelsang also develops and markets technology products
and components for biogas plants. These include vacuum
disposal systems for the environmentally-friendly disposal of
waste water tanks in ships trains or buildings. Vogelsang is
the inventor of close-to-the-ground liquid manure spreading
technology using dribble bars. In 2010 480 employees generated
revenue of around € 55 million. Products are exported
to all European countries, important industrial nations
and the emerging BRIC economies.
Images (2): NGlobal Image: Symrise

TECHNOlOGy lICENSING IN GERMANy
A company can choose to either develop its own innovations
or purchase the desired innovation from another party.
Every cooperation contract which includes the transfer of
technology and usage of patents, design, trademarks and
brands, must also contain provisions regarding the appropriate
licensing agreement.
Depending on the nature of the business activity, the
license can refer to the production or sale of the products as
well as to the usage of trademarks. The content of a license
is generally considered to be a commodity, which is owned
solely by the licensor (know-how) or a right to which he is
entitled (patent, prototype protection, trademark and brand).
Due to the provisions of national and international
competition protection law, there may be limitations on the
unrestricted construction of license agreements between
contract parties. The strict German competition protection
law expressly considers the agreement of the contract parties
to be anticompetitive; if the limitations placed on the content
of the licensed rights (i.e. patents or company secrets) are
excessive. Even non-challenge clauses against the rights of
the licensor may be anti-competitive and therefore ineffective.
Also, a clause prohibiting the licensee from manufacturing
or distributing competing products is usually in breach of
competition law and requires justification. For this purpose,
the European Union has issued a block exemption regula-
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 53
A company can choose to either develop its own innovations or purchase the desired innovation
from another party. The German attorney Ulrich Herfurth about the details.
tion for technology transfer. The amount of the license fees
should be negotiated between the parties based on their
commercial interests.
The benchmark is often a combination of what the
licensee saves in his development expenses and the amount
of benefit he can obtain through the production and sales
of a product made from the knowledge acquired from the
licensor. The interest of the Licensee corresponds most closely
with a license fee, which is based on current sales of
replica products. The Licensor also partakes in this way in
the exceptional success of the licensee. However, he runs the
risk of getting very little revenue if the Licensee’s business is
not profitable. However, if he wishes to avoid this risk, it is
better to agree on a fixed payment. The combination of both
methods is also possible. To cover the expenditure associated
with the initial technology transfer, it is recommended to
agree upon a down payment. Finally, it is also important to
note in the calculation of royalties, that withholding taxes are
frequently imposed on royalty income.
Contact
Ulrich Herfurth herfurth@herfurth.de
www.herfurth.de
Image: Herfurth & Partner
Ulrich Herfurth, German Attorney

Images (4): Wolfsburg Marketing GmbH
Modern Wolfsburg
WOLFSBURG
Wolfsburg is a town in Niedersachsen undergoing change,
from one of the legends of the German economic miracle to
a young exciting town in the countryside.
by Juliette Rahn
Wolfsburg. A modern wind is literally blowing in this young
metropolis in eastern Niedersachsen. A spirit of optimism has been
unleashed in a town which has long shed its image of a pure industrial
district which transformed itself into a “ghost town” during
holiday periods. Wolfsburg is reinventing itself without losing sight
of its history in the process. It is presenting itself as green, dynamic,
family-friendly, innovative and cosmopolitan. According to a study
from the Medizinische Hochschule in Hannover, Wolfsburg is the
town with the highest quality of life in Niedersachsen. Primarily
families are attracted to the green town on the southern edge of
the Aller glacial valley. This was not always the case, as for decades
Wolfsburg conveyed a totally different picture. The Volkswagen
plant was the main employer of the people of Wolfsburg and was
almost the only attraction of the town. Joachim Schingale, Managing
Director of Wolfsburg Marketing GmbH, confirms: “Wolfsburg
has developed in seven decades from a mono-structural industrial
town into a modern and innovative town with a sense of adventure.”
Retrospective. Nearly 75 years ago the town was founded
as a residential district for the employees of the Volkswagen plant
located nearby. With the mass production of the VW-Beetle, the
head office of the Volkswagen Group in the early post-war years
advanced to become a prime example of the German economic
miracle. And the young metropolis is still one of the most important
centres of the Niedersachsen economy today. Its opportune geographic
location at one of the most important European east/west
transportation axes and the good infrastructure still make Wolfsburg
one of the most dynamic economic locations of the Federal
Republic of Germany. Its 16 trading and industrial areas alone,
which cover approximately 400 hectares, provide a lot of space for
successful innovations. In addition to the automotive suppliers, it is
primarily trading, servicing and craftsmanship companies which are
based here. Wolfsburg is famous for its cosmopolitan outlook. The
town has partnership and town twinning agreements in the UK,
France, Italy, Russia and Poland to name but a few. Cosmopolitan
also underpins the spirit of the International Suppliers Fair, (IZB),
Europe‘s leading trade fair for the automotive supplies industry
and which continues to increase the significance of Wolfsburg as
an international trade fair location. (See page 6)
Wolfsburg still has more to offer. “Many research and development
institutions from the Volkswagen plant, the supplier industry,
the AutoUni and particularly the emerging Ostfalia – University
of Applied Sciences are consolidating the reputation of Wolfsburg
as a location for science and education”, explains Schingale. The
young town also presents its climate change and renewable energy
credentials in a modern manner and conscientiously. Through Wolfsburg
Solar Land Registry, the recently opened emobility station and
the biogas plant of the Wolfsburg sewage works on the site of
the municipal waste water treatment plant, the young metropolis is
playing its part in the use of renewable energy sources. Wolfsburg is
looking into a green future – and Volkswagen is also on-board. The
VW-Group has been ranked by “Best Global Green Brands 2012”
in 4th place for the most sustainable brands and thereby is the most
environmentally-friendly automotive manufacturer and the “greenest”
company in Germany. Surrounded by two cultural landscapes
worth visiting - in the south by the Harz Mittelgebirge and in the
north-west by the beautiful Lüneburger Heide, the young metropolis
is an absolute highlight for every nature lover. Green oases can also
The Autostadt
“People, cars and what moves them” is the
motto of the Volkswagen Group communications
platform. This is where visitors and customers
collecting their new cars obtain an insight into the
know-how and values of Europe’s biggest automotive
producer. Originally created as a decentralised
project for Expo Hanover, it was opened in 2000.
Today the 28 hectare experience park where you
can find out anything and everything related to
cars and machines and which houses the most
visited car museum in the world, guides visitors
through a two-hour voyage of discovery into the
realm of the passenger car. An additional highlight
of the Autostadt is the Movimentos Festival Week,
a festival for contemporary dance and modern
cultural performances.
Schloss Wolfsburg
Local
Niedersachsen Global 55
be found in the 40 districts and areas of the town. 30 percent of the
municipal districts are green spaces, forests and water areas as well
as moors and heaths. The extensive parks such as the 130-hectare
Aller Park, the Schlosspark, the Stadtwald (city forest) on the Klieversberg
and the Schillerteich also form part of the townscape as do
many architectural structures from the 20th century. Unmistakeable
also are the historical roots of the traditional districts of Vorsfelde and
Fallersleben which were independent towns before the creation of
Wolfsburg. One of the youngest towns in Germany was named after
Schloss Wolfsburg – a late Renaissance structure located in today‘s
Alt-Wolfsburg district. Other architectural highlights of the town
include the theatre by Hans Scharoun, the phæno by Zaha Hadid,
the Alvar-Aalto Kulturhaus and the front façade of the Volkswagen
Group with the four chimneys standing as an industrial monument.
“The many attractions for the general public have reinforced the
town as a tourist destination and are also giving Wolfsburg an international
focus” explains Joachim Schingale. Shopping in Wolfsburg
can also be an adventure. Between the installed water landscapes
and light installations, designer outlets, the “Wolfsburger Flaniermeile”
on Porschestraße, the over 90 shops in Wolfsburg City-Galerie
invite you to shop and linger.
The phæno experimental landscape
Children can learn about the world of phenomena
from an early age in phæno. The science museum
contains a structural world of adventure made up
of craters, caves, terraces and plateaus. Science and
nature can be experienced by both adults and technical
specialists alike through more than 350 mainly
interactive experimentation stations. Also the external
façade of the Science Center is very experimental.
Here, architect and Pritzker prize winner Zaha Hadid
has created one of the most coveted sculptures
in Germany.
First mentioned in a deed dated 1302 as a low-lying moated castle, the
Schloss Wolfsburg of today has become the cultural centrepoint of the
young metropolis. In the mid-15th century the fortification was transformed
into a Renaissance castle. Today the historical building in the Alt-Wolfsburg
district is a place of modern art. Also located here in addition to the Städtische
Galerie and the Kunstverein Wolfsburg e.V. is the Heidersberger Photography
Institute. And anyone wanting to discover more about Wolfsburg‘s
history can visit the town‘s museum located inside the castle.

Images (4): Lüneburg Marketing GmbH
Local
Niedersachsen Global
56
Old, Young Hanseatic Town
With its flair dating back to the Middle Ages together with brick gables
and the dynamics of a young university town – this combination gives
Lüneburg a very particular attitude to life.
by Angela Andresen-Schneehage
A picturesque, lively old town with a modern infrastructure located
between Hanover and Hamburg and the nearby Lüneburger
Heide, a fabulous recreational area just outside the front door, it
is no surprise that the old town on the River Ilmenau has been
confirmed in a Germany-wide survey as being in top position for
quality of life.
Lüneburg was first mentioned in a deed over 1,000 years
ago in the year 956. The economic rise of the subsequent Hanseatic
Town is inextricably linked to “white gold”, since more
than 20,000 tonnes of salt were produced in the Lüneburg saltworks
in the Middle Ages. Today the region‘s economic drivers
look very different. Many small and medium-sized enterprises are
located in Lüneburg including fashion designer Roy Robson, Dr.
Scholze Confiserie KG a premium producer of bakery products and
Cartoflex GmbH which supplies industrial customers with individual
packaging solutions. Other innovative companies in the
automation technology, mechatronics, environmental technology,
information and communications sectors play an important role
in the economic region. They all benefit from the central location
of the economic area between attractive markets in the East and
North as well as from the good connections to the transeuropean
transport networks. Also of great benefit is the proximity to the
highly awarded and acclaimed Lüneburger Leuphana University.
This university offers a unique study model for Germany
as both research and teaching is carried out in the four faculties
of culture, sustainability, economy and education, so that all stu-
LüNEBURG
dents who have completed an undergraduate degree at Leuphana
College combine two different study subjects and then complement
these with interdisciplinary and methodical questions, projects
with practical applications and foreign language skills. Another un-
usual offering here is the “Individual Study” option with which the
idea behind interdisciplinary learning is consistently implemented.
Students following this course select for themselves which relevant
issues for 21st century civilian society they want to consider
intensively and for a long period in their undergraduate studies.
All graduates from Leuphana College can either move into a profession
or continue their studies in a further masters and doctorate
programme, either at the Leuphana Graduate School or at other
German or foreign universities.
Leuphana University is deemed to be one of the most enterprising
university institutions in Germany. An impressive new central
building is currently being built on the university site based on
a design of the American architect Daniel Libeskind as part of the
remarkable new campus of the future.
However, the past is also important for the future development
of Lüneburg. Lüneburg was one of the first towns in
Northern Germany to join the Hanseatic League, the successful
network of trading towns founded in the 12th century. In 1412 the
salt town held the Hanseatic Day for the first time within its walls.
This former trading association is now being revived as the “New
Hanseatic League” and exactly 600 years later Lüneburg hosted a
modern Hanseatic Day at the end of June 2012. Unlike the times
Local
Niedersachsen Global 57
Lüneburg inspires tourists from across the
world with its unique character and own
particular beauty. Left: The Lüneburger
Heide is one of the most popular holiday
regions in Northern Germany.
of old in the Middle Ages when envoys from only 23 towns attended,
this year 109 delegations from 14 countries were welcomed
at the international meeting and who were all presented to the
young yet still traditional town, as are the more than seven million
people who make a day‘s excursion to Lüneburg every year.
First and foremost it is the historic town centre which was
spared in the war and which has remained largely intact up to the
present day that has enabled Lüneburg over the last few years
to develop increasingly into a destination for tourists from across
the world. The most popular tourist attractions include examples
of outstanding brick architecture dating back centuries, as well as
the three town churches, the town hall complex with its famous
“Gerichtslaube”and Lüne Abbey with its art treasures only a few
minutes walk from the centre. Lüneburg‘s romantic house-lined
streets and town views became very popular far beyond the region
through the TV series “Rote Rosen” which was broadcast across
Germany. And last but not least there are the many attractive
shops, cafés and restaurants in the traffic-calmed streets in the
town centre which are equally popular with inhabitants and guests
for a relaxing stroll around the shops. Pure relaxation at one of the
beautiful terraces in the picturesque Lüneburg harbour district with
view of the River Ilmenau or the Alter Kran, a regional speciality
such as a leg of heath sheep or a smelt freshly fried on the plate –
these are moments when visitors from across the world are aware
of the unique character and particular beauty of the old, young
Hanseatic town.

Imprint
Niedersachsen Global
58
Next Fairs
EuroBLECH
The world’s largest exhibition EuroBLECH from 23rd to 27th
October 2012 for the sheet metal working industry.
Image: EuroBLECH
CeBIT
No. 1 Event for the Digital World. From 5th to 9th March
2013 in Hanover.
Image: CeBIT 2012
The Publisher
“Innovationszentrum Niedersachsen Strategie und Ansiedlung (IZ)” and “Innovatives Niedersachsen (IN)” are
both state owned economic development agencies.
IZ provides you free, comprehensive consultancy in establishing or expanding business in Niedersachsen and
supports you throughout the entire process of your investment project. Furthermore IZ is the Think Tank for
the State of Niedersachsen and advises in all matters of innovation- and technology policy.
IN uses the image campaign and location marketing to create an awareness of the qualities of the State.
For more information please visit www.nds.de or contact us directly.
Imprint
EuroTier
The world’s top event for animal production.
From 13th to 16th November 2012.
Publisher
Innovatives Niedersachsen GmbH • Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 24 • 30159 Hannover, Germany • CEO Dr.-Ing. Stefan Franzke
Phone: +49 511 760726-0 • info@nds.de • www.nds.de • Contact info@nds.de
Editors and Layout:
POLYGO Verlag GmbH • Hainhölzer Str. 5 • 30159 Hannover, Germany • Phone: +49 511 16 99 69-0 • hallo@polygo.de,
www.polygo.de • Managing Director Thomas Wirth • Project Manager Maurice Henin, henin@polygo.de • Marketing Director
John D. Swenson, swenson@polygo.de • Editor Stefanie Stüting, stueting@polygo.de • Authors Angela Andresen-Schneehage,
Katrin Langemann, Juliette Rahn • Layout Ines Erdmann, Eva-Katarina Griesheimer • Circulation 8,000 Copies
Image: DLG
Hannover Messe
The world‘s largest industrial trade fair
from 8th to 13th April 2013.
Image: Hannover Messe
Save the Date!
64th IAA Commercial Vehicles
Trade Fair
20th - 27th September 2012
26th September 2012:
Specialist Electromobility
Congress
Hanover: Messegelände
Opening Hours: 9.00 to 18.00
For more information visit
www.iaa.de
7th International Suppliers
Fair (IZB)
10th - 12th October 2012
Wolfsburg: Messegelände in
Wolfsburg Allerpark
9th October: International
Automotive Congress
For more information
visit www.izb-online.com and
www.izb-kongress.com
We prepare you for the future
Intelligent energy management by EWE
The energy of the future should be reliable, affordable and eco-friendly,
which is why we develop innovative methods for generating and
managing energy. With the alpha ventus offshore wind farm, we are
for instance promoting efficient use of wind power. And that’s just
one of our projects for a future with the right energy.
www.ewe.de

Automotive business.
International Suppliers Fair
10 th – 12 th October 2012
Wolfsburg | Allerpark
partner countries: Argentina | Brazil
Main sponsor: Media Partners:
Patrons:
The leading trade fair for automotive competence.
Organiser:
www.izb-online.com