German Chemical Parks Record Growth / Attractive Business Model for Investors 10,000 new jobs, investments increased

Berlin (ots) - The number of employees in German chemical parks
has increased by roughly 10,000 to 240,000 between 2006 and 2008. In
this same period, the number of companies doing business at these
sites increased from 840 to 920. These figures were presented today
by Dr. Klaus-Dieter Juszak, Chairman of the German Sector Group of
Chemical Parks and Sites in the German Chemical Industry Association
(VCI). These figures, based on a new industry estimate, were
presented during a press conference at the ACHEMA 2009 in Frankfurt.
"The German concept of chemical parks is successful and has a
promising future," noted Juszak. Michael Pfeiffer, Chief Executive of
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), confirmed the interest of foreign
companies in the successful business model provided by chemical
parks.

Establishment of Value-Added Chains

Investments in chemical parks have increased. In 2008 the total
investment volume surpassed EUR 3.5 billion for the first time. In
the years leading up to 2008, companies invested an average of
roughly EUR 3 billion in the expansion and construction of
facilities. More than 80 percent of investment expenditures in the
industry fell upon chemical producers. These investments include both
new and established companies. Chemical parks create an optimal
environment, for new and established companies alike.

Efficiency through Network Structures

For investors looking to Germany as a chemical production site,
Germany offers numerous location advantages over its international
competitors: a reliable energy supply, combined production potential,
and the sharing of costs for raw materials and intermediate goods.

Research Network

The unique network of university and independent research
institutes is a further advantage for Germany as a chemical industry
site: Every second chemical park, according to Juszak, is directly
connected to a research network, as the industry is dependent on a
constant flow of research results. The chemical industry also hopes
to continue its high research and development investments in order to
emerge stronger from the global economic crisis. In this context,
Juszak welcomes the federal minister's introduction of tax relief for
companies' research and development initiatives. "It is important
that both the small businesses and large companies benefit from this
support," stressed the Chairman, "because innovation, especially in
the chemical industry, is based heavily on cooperation."

GTAI Chief Executive Michael Pfeiffer confirms that Germany is
also seen as an attractive investment location for foreign investors.
Germany Trade & Invest is the new foreign trade and inward investment
promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. One of the
organization's missions is to attract foreign investors to Germany.
According to Pfeiffer, Germany scores very highly in terms of the
country's competitiveness as an investment location. This is true not
only for the chemical industry and its related industries, but also
extends to other branches. In a recently published study by the
American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), US companies ranked Germany as
the most attractive business location in Europe. Reasons cited
included the high product and process quality in Germany. These are
factors that both companies and customers greatly value, especially
in an economic downturn. Pfeiffer further discussed current industry
figures. According to these figures, Germany's chemical industry is
number one in Europe in terms of revenues, exports, investment, and
R&D expenditures. "The German chemical and chemical processing
industry is one of the global heavyweights. Germany is a clear leader
in terms of exports. Chemical companies that produce in Germany can
come out ahead of the competition in international markets," said
Pfeiffer.

In addition to investments by the chemical industry and the
related processing industries, companies in renewable energies are
increasingly seeking proximity to chemical parks, especially in
photovoltaics, biopolymers, and biofuels. This demand is notably
visible in R&D-intensive investment projects.

Originaltext: Germany Trade and Invest
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Contact:
VCI-Pressestelle,
Telefon: 069 2556 1496,
E-Mail: zedlitz@vci.de

GTAI-Pressestelle,
Telefon: 030 200 099 173,
E-Mail: eva.henkel@gtai.com