Press release from 29.08.2008
North Rhine-Westphalia first German state to open representative office in Pune
Pune/Düsseldorf, 29 August 2008 – Today, Karl-Uwe Bütof, Director General of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for Economic Affairs, officially opened the new representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Pune, NRW.INVEST India/Pune. This makes North Rhine-Westphalia the first German federal state to have its own branch office in Pune. In this way, Germany's economically strongest state wants to intensify relations with India's booming industrial center in the Indian state of Maharashtra. In the presence of the acting Consul General Dr. Martin Thümmel and the Indian industrial magnate Amit Kalyani of the Bharat Forge Group, Director General Bütof underlined: "By opening our representation we want to make a clear statement. We would like to continuously expand trade and investments with India. And as the 'Oxford of India' and a booming economic region, Pune is a perfect partner for us." The automotive industry and the ICT and pharmaceuticals sectors are growth engines for the Pune region.
100 Indian companies have now settled in North Rhine-Westphalia. Research and development play a particularly important role here. Investors focus primarily on the steel industry, metal processing, automotive suppliers, and the pharmaceuticals industry. "North Rhine-Westphalia is an optimal location to invest in the German and European market. The branch office in Pune serves as a bridge for Indian investors to Germany and Europe", explained Petra Wassner, Managing Director of NRW.INVEST Germany. Major companies include Albonair GmbH, Dortmund (development, production and marketing of vehicle emission treatment systems for diesel engines), Bharat Forge, Ennepetal (manufacturer of forged chassis and engine components), and Mittal, Duisburg (steel production).
The purpose of the new NRW.INVEST representation is to intensify the direct contacts to companies, associations, institutions, chambers, and politics in the Pune economic region. The head of the office is Golak C. Misra. The experienced Indian business manager is particularly familiar with the steel industry, the building materials indutry, and the chemicals industry.
NRW.INVEST India/Pune wants to offer individual service to potential investors from all sectors – from information on markets, locations or investment conditions to practical assistance with concrete settlement projects. "We want to provide Indian investors with optimal service to ensure that they feel at home in North Rhine-Westphalia from the very first moment", emphasized Petra Wassner of NRW.INVEST Germany.
Foreign trade and direct investments NRW/India
In 2007, foreign trade between Indian and North Rhine-Westphalia totaled around 3 billion euros and almost tripled over the last eight years. There are approx. 45,000 Indian citizens currently living in Germany, of whom roughly a quarter live in the Rhine-Ruhr region. At about half a billion euros per year, Indian direct investments in North Rhine-Westphalia still have potential for further development.
Further information:
Annette Peis, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 (0) 211-130 00 162
e-mail: Peis@nrwinvest.com
NRW.INVEST GmbH
Economic Development Agency
of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
Völklinger Str. 4
40219 Düsseldorf
