Savannah, GA advances business efforts in Germany

SAVANNAH, GA, USA - Savannah Economic Development Authority advances business development efforts with Germany

In a strategic effort to advance business development efforts with Germany, the Savannah Economic Development Authority is currently in Germany meeting with government and business leaders. This is their third visit to Germany in 2014.

Michael Hoffmann, a German business development consultant working with SEDA to help advance Savannah’s interests in Germany, is accompanying SEDA representatives. Hoffmann is promoting Savannah companies wishing to expand in Germany as well as identifying and connecting German companies planning expansions into the United States. A veteran of the German aerospace engineering industry, Hoffman also serves as President of Aviabelt, the aerospace industry association in Northern Germany.

“Savannah is a great place to build business in the United States for several reasons: it has great transportation infrastructure, proximity to the airport, a strong economic development support system and a beautiful City Center,” said Hoffmann. “Savannah and Bremen have some similar industries, that will help us to find the right partners and create successful relationships in both directions.”

In addition, SEDA hosted economic development professionals from Bremen Invest in Savannah in October.

Economic development professionals visiting from Bremeninvest include Andreas Heyer, CEO (Secretary of Commerce), Andreas Gerber, Director of International Affairs as well as Kirk Atkinson, Business Development Manager of BLG Logistics, one of the world’s largest logistics companies headquartered in Bremerhaven, Germany.

“We were honored to host this group in Savannah, some of them for the third time. It is a reflection of the continued commitment of these partners and of SEDA to build long lasting relationships that result in meaningful business investments,” SEDA President and CEO Trip Tollison said. “One of the things we have learned in our international business development efforts is that you must be consistently present to demonstrate serious intent. We are pleased to see that serious intent being expressed on both sides of the relationship.”

Andreas Gerber, Director of International Affairs for Bremeninvest said, “The relationship between Bremen and Savannah is certainly special. Due to our similar logistics and aviation industries, we see Savannah as a strategic location for Bremen businesses to expand and prosper in the United States. Through our office in Atlanta, and now Savannah’s representative in Bremen, we also hope to identify and develop expansions for Savannah area businesses in Europe.”

World Trade Center Savannah, a regional economic development organization established by the Savannah Economic Development Authority identified a list of target countries for 2013, which includes Germany.

The yearlong, in-depth and ongoing analysis used more than 20,000 points of data, both quantitative and qualitative. The data covered a wide range of factors including raw import and export data, non-governmental entities facilitating trade, already existing trade agreements and regional businesses with partnerships abroad, including relationships the City of Savannah and other regional partners have been cultivating.

Germany has long been an active business partner with the Savannah region and the State of Georgia. Savannah is proud to have German-based businesses like EMD Millipore and BASF located here. Savannah has had many prospective businesses from Germany visit the region and even has its own Honorary Consul General, Denis Blackburne. The Georgia Department of Economic Development operates a trade and investment office based in Munich since 2001.
"Two years later, we are beginning the fruits of a focused effort, having hosted a number of German business delegations and qualified prospects for investment” said Tollison. “It is a long term plan.”

For additional information on this article, please contact Kathleen Henry, Research Specialist/Trade Services Assistant, at khenry@wtcsavannah.org.