Meet the State of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is a German State and is bordered by the States of Rhineland-Palatinate to the northwest, Hessen to the north, and Bavaria to the east and by the countries of Switzerland to the south and France to the west. The state’s capital is Stuttgart.
Baden-Württemberg may be regarded as the one German state in which economic life is dominated by middle-class businesspeople and small farmers. Although such world-famous firms as Daimler AG started as small workshops in Stuttgart and Mannheim, there is virtually no heavy industry in the region.
In general, Baden-Württemberg is a producer of high-value-added industrial products. It is the centre for specialized mechanical industries that produce the majority of all the clocks, watches, and custom-made jewelry that originate in the country.
Substantial amounts of Germany’s leather goods, musical instruments, medical instruments, food, agricultural produce, and hardware are also produced in Baden-Württemberg.
However, the relative decline in the importance of manufacturing as an employer affected the state’s economy during the 1990s, and Baden-Württemberg endeavoured to expand employment in high technology, manufacturing, and business services in order to maintain its traditionally high standard of living.
Baden-Württemberg as a business partner
Baden-Württemberg is one of the leading economic regions not only in Germany but also Europe: Home to internationally renowned corporations such as Daimler, Bosch and IBM Deutschland and thousands of successful small and medium-sized enterprises, known for its innovative drive and inventive spirit, with a high level of productivity and low unemployment.
This south-west State of Germany is a top quality location for enterprises with international standing. Baden-Württemberg’s strength is its high economic performance. This strong export-oriented economy invests enormous amounts in research and development as well as in innovations. Flagship branches are the technology sectors like automobile production and mechanical and electrical engineering.
With an efficient, comprehensive system of sharing knowledge and technology, we actively support the creation of innovative, sustainable products and services.
South Africa is Baden-Württemberg's most important African trading partner. In 2019 goods from Baden-Württemberg were exported to South Africa for around 1.353 billion euros. In terms of exports, South Africa ranked 28th among the most important export countries in Baden-Württemberg in 2019. Most of the exports to South Africa are traditionally due to the strong core industries of Baden-Württemberg in the area of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts (around 52 percent), followed by machines (around 17 percent). In terms of imports, South Africa ranks 23rd worldwide for Baden-Württemberg with imported goods worth 1.522 billion euros. The most important import goods here are motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts (around 58 percent), followed by machines (around 26 percent).
The SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The SAGCCI is part of the worldwide network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) with 140 locations in 92 countries. It was founded in 1952 and since then has supported around 600 member companies in their international business as an important platform for bilateral economic exchange. The close cooperation with the German trade associations also ensures that the AHKs are networked close to the companies and markets. Based on a resolution of the German Bundestag, the AHKs are pro rata supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy.
On June 1, 2019, the SAGCCI became the official representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg in South Africa. The representation is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The economic representative office promotes the expansion and strengthening of economic cooperation between Baden-Württemberg and South African companies.
Through the SAGCCI, companies, especially SMEs, from Baden-Württemberg receive assistance in finding potential business partners and launching their products and services on the South African market.
The representation in Johannesburg also provides the expansion and cultivation of contacts to economic decision makers, South African companies, institutions, associations, etc. Companies from Baden-Württemberg receive support in the preparation, implementation and follow-up of trade fairs, exhibitions and business trips as well as in arranging meetings to acquire initial contacts with sales representatives, distributors, customers or sales cooperations. Industry-specific market information and market analyses are also provided on request.
Contact
Mr. Bastian Lidzba
Economic Representative of the State of Baden-Württemberg in South Africa and the SADC region; Deputy CEO SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Ms. Danilla van Jaarsveldt
Scout for KwaZulu Natal, Representative Office KwaZulu-Natal SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Ms. Meghan Rossouw
Scout for Gauteng Province and SADC-Region; Project Manager SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry