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Promoting business instead of a business bureaucracy

Bretten is a magnet for companies on the move. Large industrial areas are currently being developed by the city.

“In extreme cases we also have to work nights when handling a company’s relocation to Bretten, “ says Mayor Paul Metzger, when asked about the recipe of success surrounding business development. Frank Bohmüller, Relocation Manager at Bretten City Hall, adds: "... We even work on the weekend if required!” In contrast to other civil servants promoting business, Bohmüller schedules appointments on Saturdays, Sundays or even at 8 pm on weekdays with business owners and executives who are ready to invest: “Committed investors rarely have time during regular city hall opening hours, because they are taking care of daily business…”
In the meantime, Bretten has gained an excellent reputation among company owners and senior executives. Decisions in Bretten are made quickly, intelligently and without bureaucracy. “If time is money, we as a municipal service provider must ensure that investors don’t have to wait months or years,” says the enterprising mayor of Bretten. “Lothar Späth, a smart politician, once said: ‘The big ones don’t eat the small ones, but fast ones eat the slow ones’. That’s why I want to be one of the fast ones…”

Up to now he has succeeded well at this. Many companies have moved northwards to Bretten even from the Enz region: For example, the company H.F. Vogel from Wilferdingen, Rotaform and Schucker from Königsbach-Stein, TMC Sensortechnik and Freileitungsbau from Pforzheim and Unidek from Mühlacker – these are just some of the companies drawn to relocate to Bretten. Mayor Metzger refutes the claim that Bretten provides property at give-away prices; the cost is not less than anywhere else. “What’s decisive is that we buy land and renovation properties that we can sell immediately as the need arises. Time consuming negotiations with several private property owners is not an issue with us. Our competitive advantage is the short turnover time between initial contact and realisation. Turnover has been just a few months for many million euro investment deals. Even currently the city is taking over a large area for development, so that in 2003 there will be several interesting relocation spaces available“.

From this perspective, Bretten has the advantage of several “soft location factors”: a service attitude fostering promotion at City Hall offices, an beautifully preserved downtown, many excellent educational facilities, good access to the city for employees thanks to the well-developed streetcar network. In 1992 in fact, Bretten started the integrated urban rail line project as a partner with Karlsruhe. The mayor adds, “And don’t forget the friendly, positive mentality of Bretten’s citizens. We don’t just work hard, we know how to celebrate!”