Rotterdam remains an attractive location for international companies

Rotterdam remains an attractive location for international companies. More than 40 international companies were officially welcomed to the city during a live stream of the annual Red Carpet Event yesterday. The new arrivals align with the city’s ambitions in the fields of circularity, digitisation and sustainability. Wilbert Lek, director of Rotterdam Partners: ‘Despite the circumstances, there is confidence in the business climate in Rotterdam. It’s not just about the numbers in the short term, companies that will positively impact the long-term development of the region are also strongly represented among the newcomers. That fits with the city’s DNA.’

Attractive business region
The economic consequences of the corona crisis are enormous. Recent IMF estimates show that there will be a sharp economic contraction in the Netherlands in 2020 which will significantly impact the Rotterdam region. Attracting international companies and creating new jobs is, therefore, very important for the recovery and strengthening of the economy.
In the past year, Rotterdam has shown that it is and will remain a serious business option. 2020 got off to a successful start: the number of newly established companies in the first months was much higher than in preceding years.
When the corona crisis broke out in March, foreign investments were expected to come to a (temporary) standstill. But, a considerable number of projects still went ahead during this period, despite the measures taken worldwide against the outbreak of the virus. The total number of annual international investments will, however, most likely be lower than last year.

Promising crossovers
ICT & High Tech, Maritime and Logistics & Transport are the three main sectors represented by the new investments. Foreign companies are increasingly showing promising crossovers between the traditional sectors and the innovative industry. An example of such a bridge builder is Coastruction who create unique concrete structures for the marine industry using 3D printing technology. Financial services provider iBanFirst, HR technology company Phenom People, the electric cargo bikes from ESAMSA and WheelAir, developer of a temperature control system for the wheelchair, are also examples of innovative companies that have found their way to Rotterdam this year. They each contribute in their way to the well-being of the city’s ecosystem.

Online networking
The international companies that have recently established a presence in Rotterdam were officially welcomed by Ahmed Aboutaleb and Wilbert Lek during a live stream of the annual Red Carpet Event yesterday. The Red Carpet Event is one of the most important networking moments for international companies in the Rotterdam region. Because it was not possible to physically meet this year, the dinner was transformed into a Red Carpet TV Show so that more than 300 guests could ‘meet’ the newcomers via a live stream. Various exciting Rotterdam innovations from the past year were also presented, including the Bubble Badge, a transmitter that helps you keep sufficient distance from each other. It shows that the drive for innovation in Rotterdam is strong, even in times like these.

Press images can be downloaded here. Photographer is Guido Pijper. When using photos, please mention the name of the photographer.