Dok.-Nr.: 1430

The Chamber District East Frisia and Papenburg at a glance

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry for East Frisia and Papenburg in the North West of Germany represents the business community in the districts of Aurich, Leer and Wittmund, and in the city of Emden and of Papenburg. The area comprises a total of 35 towns and communities with a population of 491.000 inhabitants and about 20.000 businesses.

The East Frisian Region is situated in the North West of Germany. Its towns and communities maintain strong ties with their neighbours on the other side of its western border: the Netherlands. Its proximity to the North Sea, its islands and the National Park „Wadden Sea“ (tidal flats) as well as its unique landscape make East Frisia the most popular tourist region in the Federal State of Lower Saxony. Therefore, tourism is one of the most important economic factors.

Being a rural area dominated by agriculture, the region has now become a strong location for the services trade. However, some major industrial businesses have also shaped the district of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for East Frisia and Papenburg: the automobile industry is a dominant business branch. The biggest employer in the city of Emden is the Volkswagen factory.

The ports and harbours at the Dollart Bay and the river Ems make this region predestined for shipping and export. Certainly there is also an immense activity in maritime industry. Shipping companies and ship yards have a long tradition. The most prominent among them is the "Meyer Werft" in Papenburg: Specialised on building huge cruise liners, their products receive a high degree of public attention.

A relatively new but very successful business branch is wind energy. The factory Enercon, one of the largest suppliers of wind mills in the world is situated near the town of Aurich. The latest trend seems to point towards a new generation of wind energy production: Offshore-Windparks. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce actively supports the region‘s interest in becoming a specialised location for this new venture.

The Junior Chamber (Wirtschaftsjunioren) currently has 33 regular members and 25 guest members, among them young entrepreneurs from all economic sectors in the Chamber district. This club deals with economic and social matters, the members exchange experiences and ideas while they attempt to foster the relationships among each other and the regional Chamber of Commerce. The Juniors‘ activities include excursions to enterprises and businesses of the region.