BUSINESS BAVARIA WHAT‘S INSIDE ISSUE 12 | 2012 USINE RIA PAGE 1 WWW.INVEST-IN-BAVARIA.COM 5 MINUTES WITH ... Verena Röthlingshöfer, Managing Director of MyOma.de Page 2 IN FOCUS: TOYS – MADE IN BAVARIA Traditional Quality Page 3 BAVARIA IN YOUR BRIEFCASE Winter Holidays in Bavaria: Spend the Night in an Igloo Page 4 Outstanding infrastructure, highly-qualified professionals plus the support of Invest in Bavaria and local authorities have convinced a growing num- ber of companies to invest in Bavaria. Among them is the Belgian Joris Ide Group, who laid the foundations for their new German headquarters in Ansbach. In the spring of 2013, the production of steel products will start here to allow them to better serve the Central European market. The Italian AT THE HEART OF THE MARKETS – COMPANIES SETTLING IN MIDDLE FRANCONIA Christmas is gift season in Bavaria and retailers expect record reve- nues. The toy industry in particular is to profit this year. THE DIGITAL CHILDREN‘S ROOM Germans are buying more toys than ever before. By the end of the year, revenues will have soared to a record high of € 2.7 billion, according to the German Association of Toy and Game Retailers. Many Bavarian compan- ies are profiting from this 3% increase. The Federal State in the South is traditionally considered the heart of Germany’s toy industry. Brands such as Zapf, Käthe Kruse, Haba, Bobby Car and Playmobil have featured on chil- dren’s wishlists for many generations. Not surprisingly, Bavaria also hosts the world’s largest Toy Fair. From 30 January to 4 February 2013, the Nuremberg Fair will once again showcase innovations from all over the world. “There are two trends at the moment. As well as classic toys, there is a clear move towards toys that are supple- mented with digital and electronic gaming features”, explains the Fair’s spokesperson, Kyra Mende. “In addition to cuddly toys and racing cars, there are more and more multimedia devices in almost every child’s room. Especially classic toys that can be combined with smartphones or tablets, so-called iToys, are all the rage.” This is without doubt a development that raises many questions. Do these iToys promote or prevent our children‘s creativity? Are digital toys here to stay or just a fad? The Toy Fair will seek answers to these questions in a feature billed “Toys 3.0 – The Next Generation!” The Fair will have 2,700 exhibitors from 60 countries showcasing about one million products. About 70% of companies attending will be from abroad – Belgium, China, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and the US. www.toyfair.de company Lattonedil has also chosen Middle Franconia as a new base. In November, the wall and roof panel specialist opened a production facility in Dinkelsbühl to benefit from the geographical location and easy access to Northern and Eastern European markets. Every month we collate breaking news from Bavaria to keep you in- formed about local trends. However, as our readers are from all over the world, we know little about what you particularly like in our newsletter and where we can do better. We have therefore put together a brief feedback survey and would be delighted if you took a few minutes of your time to complete it. All participants will enter a draw to win one of 100 Lederhosen phone covers. If you are one of our lucky winners, your smartphone will always have a special Bavarian touch! We thank you for your loyal readership and wish you a relaxing festive holiday and a successful start to the New Year. Your Business Bavaria Editorial team! Click here for a direct link to the survey – or visit https://www.umfrageonline.com/survey/survey.php?code=809c76b&lang=2 PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND WIN! READERSHIP SURVEY The Business Promotion Agency of the State of Bavaria
Transcript
BUSINESS BAVARIA
WHAT‘S INSIDE
ISSUE 12 | 2012
BUSINESS BAVARIA
PA G E 1W W W. I N V E S T- I N - B A V A R I A . C O M
5 MINUTES WITH ...Verena Röthlingshöfer, Managing Director of MyOma.de
Page 2
IN FOCUS: TOYS – MADE IN BAVARIATraditional Quality
Page 3
BAVARIA IN YOUR BRIEFCASEWinter Holidays in Bavaria: Spend the Night in an Igloo
Page 4
Outstanding infrastructure, highly-qualifi ed professionals plus the support of Invest in Bavaria and local authorities have convinced a growing num-ber of companies to invest in Bavaria. Among them is the Belgian Joris Ide Group, who laid the foundations for their new German headquarters in Ansbach. In the spring of 2013, the production of steel products will start here to allow them to better serve the Central European market. The Italian
AT THE HEART OF THE MARKETS – COMPANIES SETTLING IN MIDDLE FRANCONIA
Christmas is gift season in Bavaria and retailers expect record reve-nues. The toy industry in particular is to profi t this year.
THE DIGITAL CHILDREN‘S ROOM
Germans are buying more toys than ever before. By the end of the year, revenues will have soared to a record high of € 2.7 billion, according to the German Association of Toy and Game Retailers. Many Bavarian compan-ies are profi ting from this 3% increase. The Federal State in the South is traditionally considered the heart of Germany’s toy industry. Brands such as Zapf, Käthe Kruse, Haba, Bobby Car and Playmobil have featured on chil-dren’s wishlists for many generations. Not surprisingly, Bavaria also hosts the world’s largest Toy Fair. From 30 January to 4 February 2013, the Nuremberg Fair will once again showcase innovations from all over the world. “There are two trends at the moment. As well as classic toys, there is a clear move towards toys that are supple-mented with digital and electronic gaming features”, explains the Fair’s
spokesperson, Kyra Mende. “In addition to cuddly toys and racing cars, there are more and more multimedia devices in almost every child’s room. Especially classic toys that can be combined with smartphones or tablets, so-called iToys, are all the rage.”
This is without doubt a development that raises many questions. Do these iToys promote or prevent our children‘s creativity? Are digital toys here to stay or just a fad? The Toy Fair will seek answers to these questions in a feature billed “Toys 3.0 – The Next Generation!” The Fair will have 2,700 exhibitors from 60 countries showcasing about one million products. About 70% of companies attending will be from abroad – Belgium, China, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and the US.
www.toyfair.de
company Lattonedil has also chosen Middle Franconia as a new base. In November, the wall and roof panel specialist opened a production facility in Dinkelsbühl to benefi t from the geographical location and easy access to Northern and Eastern European markets.
Every month we collate breaking news from Bavaria to keep you in-formed about local trends. However, as our readers are from all over the world, we know little about what you particularly like in our newsletter and where we can do better. We have therefore put together a brief feedback survey and would be delighted if you took a few minutes of your time to complete it. All participants will enter a draw to win one of 100 Lederhosen phone covers. If you are one of our lucky winners, your
smartphone will always have a special Bavarian touch!We thank you for your loyal readership and wish you a relaxing festive holiday and a successful start to the New Year.
Your Business Bavaria Editorial team!Click here for a direct link to the survey – or visit
With 3.52 start-ups per 10,000 inhabitants, Munich shows more entrepreneurial spirit than Hamburg (3.18), Berlin (2.67) or even the Rhine-Main region (3.22) in the Information, Communication and Digital Technology sector. Moreover, Bavaria is the territorial State with the highest number of company start-ups in this fi eld. With 1.81 start-ups per 10,000 inhabitants, the State is at the top nationwide.
Only the City-States Berlin and Hamburg have a higher ratio. How-ever, compared to Munich, these two metropolises show a weaker performance. The German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) examined start-ups between 2008 and 2011 for the study.
For a year now, a group of people have been knitting away on behalf of ‘MyOma’. The team, currently 25 grandmothers and one grandfather, hand-make hats, scarves, gloves and other fashionable and warm woollen creations that are sold via the internet. Hand-made products are a current trend especially during Christmas when demand rises – just like the number of grandmothers who want to knit for the company which is based in the Franconian town of Fürth.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO START “MYOMA”?Watching TV, I came across a feature on older ladies and grandmothers who met to have coffee and knit. This was when I realised that there were probably many grannies who were often home alone, knitting for themselves or family members. Grannies who welcome topping up their pensions as well. This holds incredibly high potential.
SO YOU FOUNDED THE LIEBLINGSOMA GMBH?Yes. Together with my brother Jörg and Jan Dzulko, a good friend.
DO ONLY FRANCONIAN GRANNIES KNIT FOR YOU?They are still the majority. In Bavaria, particularly here in Franconia, this old craft and tradition is rooted very deeply. However, we have inquiries from all over Germany, even from Austria and Switzerland. So in addition to Fürth, other MyOma branches could develop there.
HOW DID YOUR GRANDPARENT TEAM COME TOGETHER?We placed ads in small weekly papers looking for grannies who knit and 50 grandmothers contacted us. So we organised a get-together where each granny had to knit a hat. Step by step, we built our knitting team which incidentally also includes a male representative.
ARE ALL YOUR CREATIONS HAND-MADE?Our hats, scarves or phone covers are made completely by hand and consist of high-quality yarn such as merino, cotton or alpaca. We do not use any machines and thus do not mass-produce cheap goods. With a MyOma creation you have a unique product that lasts for a very long time and keeps you warm. We also accept special orders and create modern fashion items as well.
PA G E 2W W W. I N V E S T- I N - B A V A R I A . C O M
CAN YOUR GRANNIES KNIT FROM HOME?Everyone is free to knit wherever he or she plea-ses. We also have a large, cosy kitchen in Fürth where our grannies and our grandpa enjoy meet-ing for a coffee and knit away together. With this approach, we also pursue a social aspect – after all, MyOma also sets out to help older people avoid loneliness and solitude. We have already forged a some friendships across our team.
HOW DO YOU DISTRIBUTE THE INDIVIDUAL KNITTING ORDERS?We are in direct contact with our grannies and ac-cordingly distribute the orders to those who have the time and capacity. Then, the grannies either come to our kitchen or we send them a package containing the yarn and relevant knitting instruc-tions for the desired product.
DOES THE CUSTOMER KNOW WHICH GRANNY OR GRANDPA KNITTED THEIR HAT?Yes. We‘ve developed a highly personalised ap-proach. We have brief profi les on the internet for every granny and our grandpa. And every custom-er delivery includes an autograph.
PA G E 3W W W. I N V E S T- I N - B A V A R I A . C O M
Bavaria is known for Lederhosen and laptops, beer gardens and mountains, lakes and castles. But also when it comes to toys, Bavaria is famous world-wide for its successful toy manufacturers who win over the hearts of children and persuade parents with quality and in-novations.
Many of the well-known German toy manufacturers come from Bavaria and can boast a long history. The traditional companies contribute signifi cantly to the variety of products offered at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. “They account for about 30% of German exhibitors”, confi rms Kyra Mende, spokesperson for the Toy Fair. She stresses: “Especially in Bavaria and particularly in Franconia, it can still be felt today that toy production is fi rmly connected with the region and that some companies even play a major role worldwide in the premier division of toy manufacturers.”
SO, IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, HERE IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF BAVARIAN TOY SPECIALISTS:
Haba – Wood for Inventors The Habermaaß GmbH from Bad Rodach sees itself as the ‘inventor for chil-dren’ and with a broad product portfolio, ranging from wooden and textile toys to decorating ideas and accessories, offers a wide selection for babies and children. The company was founded in 1938 by Eugen Habermaaß and Anton Engel and is still family-owed. The high-quality goods are popular with children and their parents. After all, Haba stands for quality and tradition – which is increasingly important for responsible consumers.
Bruder – An Eye for DetailBruder predominantly produces toy vehicles in Germany – in Fürth Burg-farrnbach to be precise. These vehicles are characterised by their high atten-tion to detail on a 1:16 scale. No other manufacturer offers comparable prod-ucts at this scale. Numerous vehicles were awarded the ‘spiel gut’ quality approval seal. The company has a local and international customer base.
Playmobil – A Children’s ClassicPlaymobil fi gures have invaded children’s rooms from the town of Zirndorf. The core element is a 7.5 cm plastic plaything. The hands, arms, legs and head can be moved, and tools and everyday objects can be attached to the fi gures.
Of course there are suitable play worlds such as castles or airplanes that the children can assemble themselves. The label’s name and characteristic blue logo were designed by artist and graphic designer Rainer Willingstorfer. Every children’s room in Germany probably has at least one Playmobil fi gure, vehicle, farm or pirate ship.
Sigikid – The Stuff of Children’s DreamsThe origins of this toy manufacturer date back as far as 1856 when Heinrich Scharrer from Nuremberg created a business for mirrors, glass beads and toys made from pearl in the Upper Franconian town of Bayreuth, 100 km from his home town. Sigrid Gottstein took over the company in 1968, specialising in the production of high-quality children’s toys. She created her own product line called ‘Sigikid’ – a combination of her fi rst name ‘Sigi’ and the word ‘kid’. Since then, the Bavarian toy manufacturer from Mistelbach has made countless chil-dren happy with colourful toy clocks, baby comforters, cot mobiles, stuffed toys, dolls, baby and children’s fashion lines as well as bags.
BIG – Plastics in MotionThe BIG toy factory in Fürth is among the leading manufacturers of high-quality plastic toys worldwide. Their famous ‘Bobby Car’, which was developed to help small children learn to walk, is of particular note. The toy car has a centred seat so children can sit as if on a motorcycle and move the car with leg paddle movements. The company logo, the BIG buffalo, symbolises strength, robust-ness and durability – which is exactly what distinguishes the toys from this Bavarian company.
Käthe Kruse – Dolls from Grandma’s DaysNot much has changed – the ‘Käthe Kruse Manufaktur‘ in Donauwörth still produces dolls by hand just as they did 100 years ago. The late Käthe Kruse who founded the factory (1911), began to make dolls for her daughters as early as 1904, simply because she didn’t like the com-mercially available models. The bodies of Käthe Kruse’s dolls are made of cloth and hand-stuffed with deer or reindeer hair. In addition to these coveted collector’s items, the product range has been extended by Kruse’s daughter and successor Hanne Adler-Kruse, ensuring that the tradition and quality of the hand-made dolls has remained the same. There is even a Käthe Kruse doll museum in Donauwörth.
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YOUR KEY TO OUR STATEInvest in Bavaria – The Business Promotion Agency of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology and Bayern International.
WINTER HOLIDAYS IN BAVARIA: ESKIMO ADVENTURE IN THE MOUNTAINS
Igloo Hotels – The new Alpine Trend
BAVARIA IN YOUR BRIEFCASE
At fi rst glance, everything looks completely normal. The rooms have tables, chairs and beds. Hotel guests meet at the bar, in the restaurant or the jacuzzi. However, the difference is that all the walls are white and literally ice-cold. It‘s what you‘d expect when they‘re made of ice and snow and the hotel is in the middle of the mountains, 2,000 metres above sea level. The ‘IgluLodge’ at the Nebelhorn near Oberstdorf offers particularly cool pleasures.
Families, couples, friends or work colleagues can all enjoy the icy Eskimo adventure. The so called ‘Schlaf-Iglus‘, (Bed Igloos) are 2.8 metres high with a diameter of 4 metres. The Igloo Bar and Igloo Restaurant are each 7 metres in diameter, offering enough space to feel cosy and to spend the night in a world of sparkling ice crystals.
However, when guests dress for dinner, tuxedos or evening gowns are not an option. For the high-alpine dinner at 2,000 metres, your apparel should be warm and suitable for winter conditions. “It can get very cold outside after sunset”, explains IgluLodge’s Matthias Lenz. “However, the temperature inside the igloos is constant between -5 and +5°C.”
Those with energy to spare after dinner can stretch their legs in the jacuzzi (+40°C) or have fun with the Iglu Lodge game collection. Guests sleep on a snow bed with special thermal insulation and in expedition sleeping bags (designed for up to -40°C). Also available are twin sleeping bags and rein-deer skins made in Finland for extra cosiness and sweet dreams.
Only one question remains: how old do guests have to be to enjoy this icy pleasure? “Everyone, from 10 who feels fi t and loves nature is more than welcome to join us here”, explains Lenz. So there is nothing else standing in the way of a unique Eskimo adventure at the Nebelhorn. You can also enjoy the experience at the Zugspitze, where they have a whole Igloo village. So wrap up nice and warm and experience the world of Eskimos and ice crystals for yourself.
www.iglu-dorf.com
www.iglu-lodge.de
www.oberstdorf.de
… IN MUNICH
BAU 2013 14 – 19 JAN. 2013 The World‘s Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials, Systems
www.bau-muenchen.com/en/Home
OPTI 2013 25 – 27 JAN. 2013The International Trade Show for Optics & Design
www.opti-munich.com/en/home
… IN NUREMBERG
TOY FAIR30 JAN. – 04 FEB. 2013International Toy Fair
www.toyfair.de
… BY AND WITH INVEST IN BAVARIA
INVEST IN BAVARIA AT ARAB HEALTH28 – 31 JAN. 2013 IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
