P a g e 1w w w. i n v e s t - i n - b a v a r i a . c o m

What’s insideFive minutes with ... Bernd Thoß,

Plant Manager at Concentric Page 2

Focus topic: EMN – Medical Valley top cluster

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Bavaria in your briefcase:

Bavarian “Hornschlitten” championship

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Business Bavaria Newsletter

Issue 12 | 2013

„Plastics Campus Bavaria“ on course

The Imaging Source Europe GmbH: focus on Munich

From late 2014, a modern technology and study centre in Weißenburg, Bavaria,

will improve the competitiveness and innovative strength of plastics processing

companies in the Altmühl area of Franconia. This ambitious project is bringing to-

gether Bavaria’s unique expertise in the field of plastics and hopes to establish itself

as an internationally recognised centre for education, research and development.

Plastics is the most important industrial segment in the Altmühl area. Applied

research and teaching related to this material will then have a home, in and on

the new „Plastics Campus Bavaria“. The campus is being built by the rural district

of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen and the town of Weißenburg, Bavaria.

It has two universities as cooperation partners: while Deggendorf University of

Applied Sciences will be responsible for the technology centre section and the

overall management, Ansbach University of Applied Sciences will take on the

study centre. Significant companies from the region and other cooperation part-

ners from science and professional associations will also be involved.

Demand for industrial cameras and optical systems is growing everywhere,

in sectors as diverse as automation and quality control. The strong growth in

the southern German and European markets means that providers want to be

closer to their customers. That is why a Bremen-based manufacturer of image

processing products for industrial, scientific and medical applications – The Im-

aging Source GmbH – is opening a branch in Maisach, near Munich. The company

is one of the leading manufacturers of industrial cameras, frame grabbers and

video converters. These solutions are used in many different sectors and fields,

from logistics to security systems, medical technology and science. The company

particularly focuses on the application fields of machine vision, AOI (automated

optical inspection), visual inspection and production automation. In future, the

office in Bavaria will manage all sales activities in the DACH region. The branch

is led by Patrick Gailer, Business Development Manager at The Imaging Source

Europe GmbH.

www.invest-in-bavaria.com/info-center/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/

pressemitteilungen-im-detail/article/the-imaging-source-europe-gmbh-bremer-

hersteller-von-bildverarbeitungsprodukten-fuer-industrielle.html

Competent cooperation between production companies on the ground also guar-

antees an intensive exchange of ideas within the sector. One of the roles of the

regional company network „k-messwerk“, for example, is to design technology

development models for the joint utilisation of measurement and laboratory pro-

cesses that are not accessible to individual companies for economic or financial

reasons or due to a lack of expertise.

The „Plastics Campus Bavaria“ will make a vital contribution to counteracting the

increasing lack of specialist staff for the companies in the region. Extra-occupa-

tional degree programmes create prospects for the companies to develop their

staff locally – they can retain staff in the region and secure their supply of quali-

fied specialist staff for the long term.

www.kunststoffcampus-bayern.de

Focus:Health/Medical Valley EMN

“For us, the staff’s expertise is the top factor draw-

ing us to this location.” Bernd Thoß, Concentric

P a g e 2w w w. i n v e s t - i n - b a v a r i a . c o m

Five minutes with …

The number of Bavarian urban and rural districts among the top 20 in Germany in the

PROGNOS „Zukunftsatlas“ study. These include the city and rural district of Munich,

the cities of Erlangen, Ingolstadt, Regensburg, Landshut and Coburg, and the rural

districts of Starnberg, Ebersberg, Erlangen-Höchstadt and Pfaffenhofen a.d. Ilm.

Source: www.prognos.com/zukunftsatlas/13/

Concentric produces both hydraulic products and diesel motor pumps. The corporation will be expanding its production capacity in Hof significantly by summer 2014.

Concentric’s parent company has now also moved to Bavaria.

Which factors were instrumental in Concentric’s

decision to remain true to its site in Hof?

We looked intensively at multiple sites, both in other

German states and in Eastern Europe. Ultimately, the

sum of all the benefits led us to make a clear decision

in favour of Hof. The strongest factor was the people

here. We have been located in Hof since 1944 and our

staff here consists of highly qualified and experienced

people, some of whom have been with the company

for over 40 years. Their expertise gives us a clear com-

petitive advantage, and one which would be almost

irreplaceable at another site.

The Swedish parent company is now also moving

its headquarters to Upper Franconia. What are the

reasons behind this?

Concentric’s goal is to consolidate its position in

Europe in order to concentrate its strengths ready for

international expansion. The Swedish assembly plant

is therefore now being integrated into our production

plant in Hof. German engineering has an excellent

reputation, especially in our sector. In the hydraulic

products segment of the market, we now have a pro-

duction site on each of three continents – Asia, Europe

and North America. Hof will be our headquarters.

What support did Invest in Bavaria provide and what

steps were taken?

The team from Invest in Bavaria provided us with indi-

vidual advice and played a key role in ensuring that we

were able to fully exploit all the funding options avail-

able to us in Bavaria. We were immediately put into

contact with all the contacts important to us. Just 6

kilometres north of here, we would have faced very

different conditions. However, the support from Invest

in Bavaria means that we are now able to make Hof the

centre of European hydraulic production.

Does the market for hydraulic pumps have a very

international character?

Definitely. Today, we are one of the leading manufac-

turers of hydraulic geared pumps and generator sets

with added value. Our customers include the world’s

largest manufacturers of construction and agricultural

machinery, forklifts, cherry pickers and gear boxes.

Another quantum leap is soon to be made, allowing us

to expand our advantage significantly.

What role do Bavaria’s strengths play for Concentric

in further market expansion?

Although specific technical reasons mean that we work

together with university research institutions outside

Bavaria, the innovation climate here is outstanding

and home to some very active clusters. The excellent

infrastructure is another advantage – we benefit from

close proximity to all our markets and have qualified

staff locally. Everything we need to grow even more.

Number of the month 11

Bernd Thoß, Plant Manager at Concentric

Modern medical technology is increasingly seen as an engine of innovation. Intel-

ligent processes in diagnostics and treatment can fundamentally improve the effec-

tiveness and efficiency of health care provision. Domestic companies hold a top posi-

tion internationally in this field. Today, the German market for medical technology is

the largest in Europe and the third-largest in the world . And many of the key players

are located in Middle Franconia. The Medical Valley in the European metropolitan

region of Nuremberg (EMN) was named the top national cluster for medical tech-

nology by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in January 2010.

Erlangen – Germany’s medicine capital

As a business location, Erlangen in Middle Franconia can look back on a long tradi-

tion in medical technology. Siemens Healthcare, one of the world’s largest industrial

companies in this field, is present here. The Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlan-

gen-Nuremberg and various non-university research institutions such as Fraunhofer

and Max-Planck have always worked closely together with the companies. It is this

close connection between science and business that the city of Erlangen and the

Free State of Bavaria have been promoting in a targeted way – and that ultimately

received funding from the federal government, too.

In future, the topics of health care IT and medication in particular will be pushed for-

ward as part of the „Franconia Model Region for the Digital Health Care Economy“.

The „Gesundheitswirtschaft Bayern“ initiative has been leading the way here since

late 2012: founded by Prof. Dr.Dr.h.c. Peter Oberender, the initiative is closely inte-

grated into the Medical Valley EMN infrastructure.

Medical Valley EMN: Science and business closely connected

As a top medical technology cluster, the Medical Valley brings together the expertise

of established international and up-and-coming companies with research institu-

tions of worldwide renown. Above all, it integrates the medical service provision

side, in order to find solutions to the current and future challenges for health care

provision together. The players include:

– 180 dedicated medical technology companies with around 16,000 staff,

– over 40 hospitals treating over 500,000 in-patients every year,

– over 60 chairs and professorships at the University and universities of applied

sciences with focus topics in medical technology in teaching and research,

– over 20 non-university research institutions with close links to medical

technology, and

– established networks with services throughout the medical technology

innovation chain.

Ageing populations in industrialised nations, an increase in chronic illness, a rapid rise in the world’s population, all demanding medical care: the global health care sector

is facing huge challenges. The increasing pressure on costs in state-run health care systems is further aggravating the situation.

Although its size is already impressive, the Medical Valley EMN continues to grow.

When companies that are only partly involved in medical technology, for example

those who are merely suppliers, are included, the Medical Valley is home to over 500

companies, employing over 45,000 people.

Medical Valley Center – incubator for pioneers

Located in the centre of Erlangen, the Medical Valley Center (MVC) is one of Ger-

many’s most successful start-up and innovation centres and plays a key role when it

comes to innovation. The MVC has supported around 60 entrepreneurs in develop-

ing, implementing, financing and establishing their concepts and projects since it

was founded in 2003. Many of these start-ups have turned into established compa-

nies, such as corscience GmbH & Co. KG, a full-service provider in the field of cardio-

vascular diagnosis and treatment.

Another centre is now being built to provide a home for progress and innovation. The

second Medical Valley Center will open in Forchheim in 2015 and will be orientated

towards smaller and medium-sized companies in health care IT and health care ser-

vices from Germany and abroad.

Polymedication – optimising the medication process

Experts estimate that around 30,000 people die every year as a result of incorrect

medication. The more medication a patient is taking at the same time, the greater

the risks. That is why topics such as the central patient card, which gives all players

access to all important information, from the latest laboratory findings to previ-

ous illnesses, are becoming an ever greater focus both in the Medical Valley and

elsewhere. The aim is to allow everyone involved to view the patient’s individual

medication regime transparently.

Medical Valley (EMN) top cluster: The heart of medical technology beats in Erlangen.

„International cooperation and the ever closer connection between

science and business require our full attention.“

Matthias Hiegl, CEO of the Medical Valley Center, Erlangen

Medical Value of the Future: Medical Valley Summit 2014

On 18th February 2014, players from the medical technology and health

care sector will meet at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen to discuss the

latest technologies and developments and to initiate new projects.

P a g e 3w w w. i n v e s t - i n - b a v a r i a . c o m

Focus Topic

P a g e 4w w w. i n v e s t - i n - b a v a r i a . c o m

Image sources

P. 1: © Thinkstock

P. 2: © Concentric

P. 4: © Marc A. Hohenleitner, www.light2pixel.net

… in Munich

opti 10th – 12th January 2014 International trade fair for optics and design.

www.opti.de

ISPO 26th – 29th January 2014 International sports business trade fair with over 2,300 exhibitors.

www.ispo.com

… in Nuremberg

EUROGUSS 14th – 16th January 2014 International trade fair for die casting: technology, processes, products.

www.euroguss.de

Spielwarenmesse 29th January – 3rd February 2014 International trade fair for the toy sector.

www.spielwarenmesse.de

... by and with Invest in BavariaInvest in Bavaria at the “Successful in Lower Bavaria. Exploiting potential – making ideas reality” event 16th January 2014 in Deggendorf | Bavaria

Your contact: Lisa Titze | Tel.: +49-89-2162-2605 vlr@invest-in-bavaria.de

Bavaria in your briefcase

On Epiphany (6th January), Garmisch-Partenkirchen will be turned upside down,

as fearless men and women meet for the Bavarian „Hornschlitten“ champion-

ship. The pilots race down the hill at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, with

teams of four sharing a wooden sledge. Daring manoeuvres and falling off are all

part of the fun. After all, the title of Bavarian champion is at stake. The sledges

are two to three metres long and were once used by the mountain farmers as

tools and a means of transport in winter, for bringing hay or chopped wood from

the remote meadows down into the valley. The name „Hornschlitten“ comes from

the special shape of the runners, which are extended upwards at the front and

reminiscent of a goat’s horns. It takes a lot of strength and skill to steer a sledge

like this. Pushing and pulling on the horns warps the shape of the frame slightly,

influencing the direction the runners slide in. Many of the sledges taking part in

the race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are originals – often over 60 years old. In 2012,

the route was around 1 kilometre long, with a height difference of 160 metres. The

race starts at the Partnachalm every year on Epiphany.

www.gapa.de/Garmisch_Partenkirchen_Aktuelles-Termine_Veranstaltung-

shighlights_Hornschlittenrennen

Epiphany 2014: Bavarian “Hornschlitten” championship

Trade Fairs and Events

Bavarian “Hornschlitten” championship

Publisher

Invest in Bavaria – The Business Promotion Agency of the Bavarian Ministry of

Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology and Bayern International

Prinzregentenstr. 22

80538 Munich | Germany

Phone +49 89 24210-7500

welcome@invest-in-bavaria.com

Business Bavaria

Coordination: Alexandra Schmidhuber

Art Direction: Alex Podolay

Editorial Department: www.red.de

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We wish all our

readers a Happy

New Year 2014!