Contents - Cologne Convention Bureau

The business location of Cologne lies at the heart of the most populated and well-funded region in
Germany. Around 17 million people live within a radius of 100 km. Internationally active corporations
such as REWE, Kaufhof and Lekkerland chose Cologne as the location for their headquarters.
Big DAX firms such as Lufthansa and Bayer have also called the Cologne region home for many
years.
The entire economic region of Cologne has a strong foundation in the industrial sector. The
chemical industry, along with automobile manufacture, makes up the core of Cologne’s industrial
region. With around 150 companies and almost 70,000 employees, a quarter of Germany’s turnover
in chemical products is generated here. This makes the Cologne area one of Europe’s leading
sites for the chemical industry.
Cologne is a car and engine city: Since Nicolaus August Otto invented the engine named after him
in Cologne in 1876, the vehicle manufacturing sector and a competitive supply industry have
become leading segments for the region. In early 2010, the company’s 40 millionth automobile left
the assembly line at this location. As the carmaker says, “Ford and Cologne belong together like
heaven and earth.” Well-known automobile manufacturers such as Toyota, Volvo, Citroën, Mazda
and Renault also have their European headquarters in Cologne.
Whether cargo, containers or package shipments – successful production is impossible without
logistics. The Rhine metropolis has become the largest hub for combined freight transports in continental
Europe. The city continues to expand its shipments on water, land and in the air, thanks to its
outstanding infrastructure and several highly specialised logistics service providers.
29 www.conventioncologne.de