Infrastructure and traffic:
Successful companies need good conditions at the location
"Join – act – win“: This is how the Gießen-Friedberg Chamber of
Industry and Commerce (CIC) invites all its members to take part in
the Chamber’s activities and to make a difference. It is our goal
to let as many companies as possible benefit from our services, so
they can increase their own benefits.
What role does the division of “Promoting
infrastructure in the region” of the CIC Gießen-Friedberg play in
all this? And how can you contribute to make a
difference?
In the division “Promoting infrastructure in the
region” seven full-time employees work to improve the quality of
the locations in the regions of Gießen, Vogelsberg and Wetterau.
Because only if there is true quality of the business locations in
terms of advantages for mid-sized companies, these companies will
be able deal successfully. The CIC is in constant contact with
their members, local politicians and administrations. It is very
much the daily challenge of their member companies that is of
particular importance to the CIC and its activities. More than
1,800 companies in the CIC-region Gießen-Friedberg have recognized
the significance of their commitment to the public welfare and have
committed themselves to voluntary work in the CIC. More than 100 of
them are involved in the working groups and committees of the
division Regional Economic Policy, living up to the CIC’ s motto:
„Join in – make a difference – win“.
Good Accessibility
Members of the working group
“Transportation” are concerned with the improvement of the
Middle-Hesse transport infrastructure. The region is on its best
way to become a logistic center that attracts clients from the
whole world.This development is particularly due to the excellent
transport connection to the interstates as well as to the
Frankfurt/RheinMain airport. The members of this working group are
eager to take part in the promotion of the Middle-Hesse transport
infrastructure. The regional goal was formulated by the working
group members’ postulation paper on “Transport Infrastructure in
Middle-Hesse” which nowadays serves as a basis regarding general
transport in Middle-Hesse. Regional unanimity makes it easier to
effectively demand top priority transport infrastructure projects
from the state. Together we reach more for each individual. It is
local companies that run the various CIC working groups as they
know best what the requirements of the region are. Chairman of the
working group “Transportation” is Wolfgang Bork, managing partner
of the freight forwarding business Bork GmbH & Co. KG out of
Langgöns.
Permanent Accessibility through electronic Business
Connections
In these
days, where online-trade is exploding, being present in the World
Wide Web is self evident to almost every company. On the other
hand, legal standards in electronic business become more and more
complex. Many companies must deal with this change in order to
remain competitive. In the CIC working group “Multimedia” companies
from Middle-Hesse are concerned with these topics. In collaboration
with the Center for Enterprise Content Management Middle-Hesse
(EC-M), they organize workshops, seminars and other informative
events where companies find answers to questions concerning use of
the internet, electronic market places, data security and many
more. Thus, these complex and fast developing matters are made more
transparent for the companies. Moreover, the information the
working group and the EC-M can offer to the companies facilitate
the adjustment to the changes in requirements in the market. The
employees of the EC-M also carry out single consultations in which
they offer a complete check of company’s website as to
legality and content and give advice on how the homepages can be
found more easily by potential clients. All this assistance to the
companies at the CIC is not only free of charge, but also neutral
in regards to the provider.
Business-Friendly Regional Economic Policy
In furtherance of the expansion and development of
the region to modern production and services locations all
strengths have to be pooled. Therefore, companies of the diverse
regions have come together in so called regional committees. The
division Regional Economic Policy is in charge of the regional
committee Vogelsberg whose chairman is Norbert Jäger, CEO of
Duo-Plast AG in Lauterbach.
The members of the committee express their economic
interests to local politicians and public administration through
public relation and further activities. An explosive subject was
the projected introduction of a truck-levy on the B-254 between
Alsfeld and Fulda. The costs for transport of goods in the region
would have increased by around 2 million euros yearly, had the levy
been introduced. In opposition to the plan, the regional committee
Vogelsberg, supported by the general assembly of the CIC, raised
well-founded protest and was able to convince the Department of
Trade and Industry of Hesse. As a result, the state withdrew its
plan for levy introduction on this section of the interstate.
Currently, the committee is working on the
improvement of broadband supply. Particularly in the rural regions,
there still is a considerable gap in coverage. In these days,
however, fast internet access is crucial to the survival of
companies. An additional project of the committee is the
improvement of the co-operation between industry and public
administration. According to the principle of “how to learn from
good examples”, companies point out how administration can become
more business-friendly in order to strengthen the business location
even more.
Enduring Development of Locations of
Business
It is also in various individual projects that the
member companies regularly work together with the CIC. Among
others, retail trade is a business field particularly appealing to
the companies. Here, competition is highly desired and business
innovation is being promoted. At the same time, a positive
development of the city centers is being aimed for as these centers
are often being threatened by the huge shopping malls in the open
countryside. The CIC has therefore lobbied for a balanced and
concerted city development plan that takes into account such big
construction projects.
The importance of companies playing an active role
in the development of their city centers is very well shown in the
case of the Gießen “Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)”. In
these BIDs 452 real estate owners and 238 retailers have united to
save the Gießen city center from going down. This joint commitment
of the CIC, the retailers and real estate owners has not only
caught the eye of all of Germany but was also impressively
confirmed in the results of a scientific study.
“Trade Associations in State Politics -The
Development of the Hesse Laws for promotion of the inner-city
Business Quarters (INGE)” - this was the name of a research project
carried out at the TU Darmstadt. Results: of all non-political
groups the CIC Gießen-Friedberg and the city of Gießen had the most
provable and strongest influence on the development of the law that
allows the foundation of the BIDs. There can hardly be a more
impressive example than this of how representation of interests –
lobbying – can work.
The results speak for themselves: the INGE-law has
been in force since December 12, 2006, the first Gießen BID already
started in October of the same year and three further BIDs followed
on January 1, 2007. In November 2007, the first BID-Congress in
Gießen took place - with international participation. In
co-operation with the University of Gießen, the impact of the BIDs
on the development of the Gießen inner city shall be explored
scientifically in the future.
Working and Living - Tourist Goals just
around the Corner
The
Vogelsberg comprises of an area of around 2,400 km2 and
a Basalt volume of over 500 billion m3, which is the
biggest volcano area in central Europe. An ideal location to relax
and experience nature! This mixture attracts visitors, particularly
those from the nearby urban centers around Frankfurt. The
geological importance of this area is becoming increasingly known.
The CIC Gießen-Friedberg is involved in the commercialization of
the region by being a member the advisory board of the Region
Vogelsberg Tourism GmbH. The CIC advocates for a good quality of
the tourist offers as quality sells and ensures that people will
return. It therefore works to enable companies in the region to
permanently test their performance and improve through education
and information.
Taking part in decision-making in the City
Planning
Companies can not only join in,
make a difference and win through the co-operation with working
groups and committees and the participation in projects, but also
at their own private desk.
As supporting organization for public interests,
the CIC comments on the numerous procedures in the regional
development and city planning. On its homepage and in newsletters,
the CIC informs its members about planned disclosures or changes
for business parks, nature conservation planning or projects in the
transporting sector. CIC member companies have the opportunity to
directly put forth their suggestions. It is this particular and
substantial advice of the locally affected companies that helps the
CIC to influence politics and industry in a way that they come up
with business-friendly planning.
It might often happen that conditions for locations of companies
suddenly change: just outside the gates of the city large-scale
retail stores settle, bringing about consequences for the city
centers. Right next to an existing business park a residential area
is being planned, forcing upon the existing companies strict noise
protection conditions. New transport routes or, as can be seen
currently, the blocking of the route B254 determine the cost for
the transporting of goods. Electronic trade changes market
conditions. A successful tourist activity brings new visitors into
the region. New forms of cooperation between retailers, house
owners and politicians make the city centers successful. It is
committed entrepreneurs who can arrange these conditions for
locations if they join in, make a difference and win with their
CIC.
Contact:
Dr. Frank Wendzinski
Pictures by CCI, tommyS / pixelio.de,
Region Vogelsberg Touristik
