Infrastructure and opportunities in Germany
The country’s international connections are excellent. as well as a major port in Hamburg, Duisburg in the north-west of Germany has rail connections to Asia and the Far East. There are major airports across the country, in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Duesseldorf and Cologne/Bonn, for example, while internal transport is facilitated by an excellent rail and high-speed road network connecting all the important regions.
The key growth sectors in Germany at present include healthcare and medical devices, plastics and fintech. “We have seen an influx of financial services companies over the past few years as a result of Brexit, with many businesses setting up entities here or moving away from London entirely,” Torsten says. With the UK no longer enjoying tariff-free access to the EU market, setting up in Germany will make even more sense for businesses across all sectors of the economy.
Grant Thornton has recently set up a Japan desk, reflecting the number of Japanese businesses that either have set up in Germany or are looking to do so. “A number of Japanese manufacturers already have facilities here, as well as sales and service entities,” he adds. “Our Japan desk means we can offer them a more specialist service.”
