We Build Better Business Through Made in Germany Reputation
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We Build Better Business Through Made in Germany Reputation
Germany
Germany is the largest economy in Europe and the fourth-largest economy in the world. Driven by industrial production, the country is the third-largest exporter and maintains the highest trade surplus in the world. The country also houses nearly 40 of the world's 500 largest publicly-traded companies, which makes it an important country for international investors.
Germany's largest companies can be found in the DAX 30 Index, which is similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the United States, and contains the 30 largest Germany companies by market capitalization trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The index contains some household names like Adidas AG, BASF SE, BMW AG, Bayer SE, Siemens AG, MAN SE, and many others.
Germany's largest companies can be found in the DAX 30 Index, which is similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the United States, and contains the 30 largest Germany companies by market capitalization trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The index contains some household names like Adidas AG, BASF SE, BMW AG, Bayer SE, Siemens AG, MAN SE, and many others.
Challenge
Start up or developing a business in a new market is a complex process. On any given day, you'll deal with a new challenge, financing, (new) market challenge, customer niche, rules, custom & cultural issues, find a reliable partner, and other headaches. On top of all that, COVID-19 has introduced additional responsibilities.
Your company is unique. Your products, services, people and marketplace all make you different from any other manufacturer. But no matter how successful your business is, you are unknown in the new market. The following five challenges are those we most often hear from manufacturers:
Business model/concept
Cultural and communication
Rules, politics and regulation
Foreign policy
Financing
Your company is unique. Your products, services, people and marketplace all make you different from any other manufacturer. But no matter how successful your business is, you are unknown in the new market. The following five challenges are those we most often hear from manufacturers:
Business model/concept
Cultural and communication
Rules, politics and regulation
Foreign policy
Financing
Solution
Wal-Mart tried to apply its US success formula in an unmodified manner to the German market. As a result, they didn't have sufficient knowledge about the German market culture and structure and key cultural/political issues. In addition, structural factors prevented Wal-Mart from fully implementing its successful business model.
When entering a new market, it is important to anticipate competitors' strategy and reactions.
To successfully develop or set-up your brand and business in Germany, knowing the local market structure and business concept/model, business culture, rules, shopping habits, language, market research and analysis, competitor research and analysis, thorough planning, communication, accurate execution... and reliable partners or joint ventures are essential. Therefore you need a German- based business consultant.
We know the German rules, culture, market, shopping habits, language and...;
We build or expand brand and businesses that are compatible with this market and culture.
When entering a new market, it is important to anticipate competitors' strategy and reactions.
To successfully develop or set-up your brand and business in Germany, knowing the local market structure and business concept/model, business culture, rules, shopping habits, language, market research and analysis, competitor research and analysis, thorough planning, communication, accurate execution... and reliable partners or joint ventures are essential. Therefore you need a German- based business consultant.
We know the German rules, culture, market, shopping habits, language and...;
We build or expand brand and businesses that are compatible with this market and culture.
Company registration and Business Setting up in Germany
Business management and development in Germany
Business management and development in Germany
Brand design and registration in Germany
Product & services design and development in Germany
German market entry strategy
Case Study
How not to enter the German market: The Example of Walmart
Wal-Mart is the biggest food retailer in the world and has a presence in several nations. In some nations (e.g. the US, Canada, China), Wal-Mart is a great success. However, Wal-Mart has failed in some countries (e.g. Germany, South Korea). First, we describe Wal-Mart's failure in Europe's largest economy. Second, we use Wal-Mart's experiences in Germany to illustrate some key principles related to product failure and product deletion. Wal-Mart's experiences are also an example of the importance to adapt to culture and rules when starting a business in a new country.
The German grocery industry
There is fierce competition in the German grocery industry, due to the increasing number of discount supermarket chains (KPMG 2006). As a result, there is low profitability in the food retail sector; profit margins range from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent which is one of the lowest profit margins in Europe (Frankfurter Rundschau 2007). By contrast, profit margins in Great Britain are 5 per cent, in this same sector. In particular, Metro is a tough competitor, and it already applies some of Wal-Mart's successful strategies (e.g. related to economics of scale and low prices). Of course, Wal-Mart is interested in other metrics beyond profit (e.g. shareholder wealth, market share), but, as indicated above, profitability and margins are of key concern to retailers.
Wal-Mart: strategic concept
Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer with approximately 6,500 stores worldwide (Business 2006). The main feature of Wal-Mart's business model is to cut costs (continuously) and therefore offer lower prices than their competitors. For instance, Wal-Mart has introduced new logistical technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) to optimize its logistic processes. RFID is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. Wal-Mart tries to minimize labor costs by offering minimal health care plans. Wal-Mart pressures its suppliers to cut costs, on a continuous basis. In brief, Wal-Mart's managers are constantly seeking out ways to cut costs, and some of their successes are passed on to shoppers, in terms of lower prices.
Wal-Mart's entry into the German market
In 1997, Wal-Mart acquired over 21 stores from the supermarket chain "Wertkauf." One year later, Wal-Mart bought an additional 74 stores from the supermarket chain "Interspar". As a result, Wal-Mart became the fourth biggest operator of supermarkets in Germany (Lebensmittelzeitung 2006). The objective was to expand to 500 stores in Germany. However, the number of stores never exceeded the 95 stores that were originally purchased in the first two years. Wal-Mart's position in the marketplace deteriorated over the years. In 2002, Wal-Mart had some financial difficulties due to a low turnover which resulted in the dismissal of some employees. At the end of 2006, Wal-Mart was bought out by "Metro", one of Germany's largest retail groups. Finally, Wal-Mart left the German market with a loss of one billion dollars before tax (Manager-Magazin 2006).
Mis-steps in the german market
In general, there are five key issues related to Wal-Mart's ultimate withdrawal from Germany:
- Market structure
- Business model/concept
- Cultural and communication
- Rules, politics and regulation
- Product and service
Wal-Mart is the biggest food retailer in the world and has a presence in several nations. In some nations (e.g. the US, Canada, China), Wal-Mart is a great success. However, Wal-Mart has failed in some countries (e.g. Germany, South Korea). First, we describe Wal-Mart's failure in Europe's largest economy. Second, we use Wal-Mart's experiences in Germany to illustrate some key principles related to product failure and product deletion. Wal-Mart's experiences are also an example of the importance to adapt to culture and rules when starting a business in a new country.
The German grocery industry
There is fierce competition in the German grocery industry, due to the increasing number of discount supermarket chains (KPMG 2006). As a result, there is low profitability in the food retail sector; profit margins range from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent which is one of the lowest profit margins in Europe (Frankfurter Rundschau 2007). By contrast, profit margins in Great Britain are 5 per cent, in this same sector. In particular, Metro is a tough competitor, and it already applies some of Wal-Mart's successful strategies (e.g. related to economics of scale and low prices). Of course, Wal-Mart is interested in other metrics beyond profit (e.g. shareholder wealth, market share), but, as indicated above, profitability and margins are of key concern to retailers.
Wal-Mart: strategic concept
Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer with approximately 6,500 stores worldwide (Business 2006). The main feature of Wal-Mart's business model is to cut costs (continuously) and therefore offer lower prices than their competitors. For instance, Wal-Mart has introduced new logistical technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) to optimize its logistic processes. RFID is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. Wal-Mart tries to minimize labor costs by offering minimal health care plans. Wal-Mart pressures its suppliers to cut costs, on a continuous basis. In brief, Wal-Mart's managers are constantly seeking out ways to cut costs, and some of their successes are passed on to shoppers, in terms of lower prices.
Wal-Mart's entry into the German market
In 1997, Wal-Mart acquired over 21 stores from the supermarket chain "Wertkauf." One year later, Wal-Mart bought an additional 74 stores from the supermarket chain "Interspar". As a result, Wal-Mart became the fourth biggest operator of supermarkets in Germany (Lebensmittelzeitung 2006). The objective was to expand to 500 stores in Germany. However, the number of stores never exceeded the 95 stores that were originally purchased in the first two years. Wal-Mart's position in the marketplace deteriorated over the years. In 2002, Wal-Mart had some financial difficulties due to a low turnover which resulted in the dismissal of some employees. At the end of 2006, Wal-Mart was bought out by "Metro", one of Germany's largest retail groups. Finally, Wal-Mart left the German market with a loss of one billion dollars before tax (Manager-Magazin 2006).
Mis-steps in the german market
In general, there are five key issues related to Wal-Mart's ultimate withdrawal from Germany:
- Market structure
- Business model/concept
- Cultural and communication
- Rules, politics and regulation
- Product and service
A retailer that wants to follow Wal-Mart's strategy of low prices needs to expand rapidly. In Germany, there not enough appropriate locations to support such expansion. As previously mentioned, Wal-Mart did not build their own stores but took over 21 existing "Wertkauf" supermarkets that had a totally different business model. The stores themselves were very small and had a limited range of goods. A related problem is that these stores were located far apart, which resulted in high logistical costs.
When entering a new market, it is important to anticipate competitors' reactions. In Germany, Wal-Mart's biggest competitor, Metro, wanted to expand their stores; at the same time, Metro wanted to prevent Wal-Mart from executing their expansion plans (Senge 2004). Many times, a product has to be deleted because the competition is too strong.
With the strategy of "Every day low prices," Wal-Mart is very successful in the United States and also in many other countries. In Germany, there is extreme competition in the retail food sector. Therefore, the German customer is quite accustomed to the low prices that are offered by numerous discount supermarket chains. For this reason, Wal-Mart's strategy of offering low prices did not create sufficient competitive advantage.
When entering a new market, it is important to anticipate competitors' reactions. In Germany, Wal-Mart's biggest competitor, Metro, wanted to expand their stores; at the same time, Metro wanted to prevent Wal-Mart from executing their expansion plans (Senge 2004). Many times, a product has to be deleted because the competition is too strong.
With the strategy of "Every day low prices," Wal-Mart is very successful in the United States and also in many other countries. In Germany, there is extreme competition in the retail food sector. Therefore, the German customer is quite accustomed to the low prices that are offered by numerous discount supermarket chains. For this reason, Wal-Mart's strategy of offering low prices did not create sufficient competitive advantage.
There is fierce competition in the German grocery industry, due to the increasing number of discount supermarket chains (KPMG 2006). As a result, there is low profitability in the food retail sector; profit margins range from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent which is one of the lowest profit margins in Europe (Frankfurter Rundschau 2007). By contrast, profit margins in Great Britain are 5 per cent, in this same sector. In particular, Metro is a tough competitor, and it already applies some of Wal-Mart's successful strategies (e.g. related to economics of scale and low prices). Of course, Wal-Mart is interested in other metrics beyond profit (e.g. shareholder wealth, market share), but, as indicated above, profitability and margins are of key concern to retailers.
When products are introduced, it is important to consider cultural factors. In this case, corporate culture played a key role. Wal-Mart's top executives decided to operate the German locations from their offices in the United Kingdom. Thus, Wal-Mart's "corporate language" was English. However, many of the older Wal-Mart managers in Germany do not speak English. As a result, there were often breakdowns in communication. Some managers of the acquired stores did not stay on after the Wal-Mart acquisition. Key business connections were lost. As a result, several key suppliers (e.g. Adidas, Samsonite, Nike) declined to work as suppliers for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart did not just lose important suppliers; they also lost an important part of their range of goods (Senge 2004). The situation could have been improved by retaining and communicating effectively with the German managers who had know-how about the local market.
The managers of Wal-Mart were not sufficiently familiar with the laws and regulations in Germany, as they violated them several times. One of Wal-Mart's fundamental principles is to stay union free. However, in Germany, unions have a powerful position. Through collective bargaining and related tactics, they can have a strong influence on political decision making. Ver.di is a German union in the service sector. With 2.4 million members, it is one of the largest independent, trade unions in the world (Ver.di 2008).
According to the German Commercial Code, all incorporated companies are obligated to publish a financial statement, including a profit and loss statement. Due to the fact that Wal-Mart refused to publish their financial statements for the years 1999 and 2000, Ver.di sued in a court of law. Wal-Mart was sentenced to pay a fine. The coverage of this law suit in the German press led to a negative public image for Wal-Mart.
After the expansion strategy failed due to the lack of suitable store locations, Wal-Mart began a price war to drive small competitors out of business. The intention was to take over the stores of the insolvent supermarket chains and convert them into Wal-Mart stores. One part of the price war was to introduce a private label called "Smart Brand" and sell most of these products below manufacturing costs. The reaction of many competitors was to decrease their prices, which led to a profit setback for the entire industry. However, the Federal Cartel Office interceded and stopped the price war because there is a law in Germany that enjoins companies from selling goods below manufacturing costs on a continuing basis (Knorr and Arndt 2003).
According to the German Commercial Code, all incorporated companies are obligated to publish a financial statement, including a profit and loss statement. Due to the fact that Wal-Mart refused to publish their financial statements for the years 1999 and 2000, Ver.di sued in a court of law. Wal-Mart was sentenced to pay a fine. The coverage of this law suit in the German press led to a negative public image for Wal-Mart.
After the expansion strategy failed due to the lack of suitable store locations, Wal-Mart began a price war to drive small competitors out of business. The intention was to take over the stores of the insolvent supermarket chains and convert them into Wal-Mart stores. One part of the price war was to introduce a private label called "Smart Brand" and sell most of these products below manufacturing costs. The reaction of many competitors was to decrease their prices, which led to a profit setback for the entire industry. However, the Federal Cartel Office interceded and stopped the price war because there is a law in Germany that enjoins companies from selling goods below manufacturing costs on a continuing basis (Knorr and Arndt 2003).
Wal-Mart planned to introduce a sophisticated customer service program which threatened many of its competitors because German discount supermarket chains often do not provide good customer service. Therefore, good customer service, combined with low prices, could have been a new market niche in Germany. One part of Wal-Mart's customer service program was called the "ten foot rule". Every ten feet, a service employee offered some help to the customer (Knorr and Arndt 2003). However, the customer reaction was rather negative, because customers who normally do their grocery shopping in discount supermarket chains are used to self-service. They do not necessarily expect to talk with employees.
Notice: This example/text/information is just for a better understanding of the page subject. We assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics and datas can changes or up-to-dates.
Made in Germany
According to a recent study, goods from Germany and the EU are the most popular worldwide.
Germany. High-quality and durable is what people all over the world associate with products bearing the "Made in Germany" label". In existence for 130 years now, it was originally intended as warning about cheap copies from Germany: Back then, knife manufacturers in Sheffield were complaining about inferior-quality copies of their products from Germany; this marked the beginning of the label, which within a very short space of time changed completely and became a quality seal.
Germany. High-quality and durable is what people all over the world associate with products bearing the "Made in Germany" label". In existence for 130 years now, it was originally intended as warning about cheap copies from Germany: Back then, knife manufacturers in Sheffield were complaining about inferior-quality copies of their products from Germany; this marked the beginning of the label, which within a very short space of time changed completely and became a quality seal.
According to a Swiss study, German products and services are the most popular worldwide.
They are more popular than ever: products and services "Made in Germany" enjoy the best image worldwide. This was the finding of a study by the University of St Gallen in Switzerland that surveyed over 7,900 people in 15 countries.
Germany is followed in the ranking by Switzerland and Japan. According to the study, German products score points internationally when it comes to price-performance ratio and innovation. Study participants were also asked about the values they attribute to different countries. They said Germany is cosmopolitan with strong traditions and high standards in research.
They are more popular than ever: products and services "Made in Germany" enjoy the best image worldwide. This was the finding of a study by the University of St Gallen in Switzerland that surveyed over 7,900 people in 15 countries.
Germany is followed in the ranking by Switzerland and Japan. According to the study, German products score points internationally when it comes to price-performance ratio and innovation. Study participants were also asked about the values they attribute to different countries. They said Germany is cosmopolitan with strong traditions and high standards in research.
Nowadays, "Made in Germany" products are known for their high quality. And there's more: "Made in Germany" is even the world's most popular label. This is the finding of the Made-in Country Index, a study conducted by the statistics portal Statista in collaboration with the market research company Dalia Research. Some 43,000 consumers in countries were asked for their opinion. "Made in Switzerland" and "Made in EU" come 2nd and 3rd respectively. The labels from Great Britain, Sweden, Canada, Italy, Japan, France, and the USA follow. Those questioned were of the opinion that Germany primarily leads the way in the categories "Quality" and "Safety", while products from Switzerland stand out with regard to "Status Symbol" and "Authenticity". @deutschland.de
Business in Germany
Germany is one of the world's largest and most stable trading economies, offering a secure, highly developed political and economic framework. Its strong legal protections enable investors to quickly enforce their rights and protect their industrial and intellectual property.
Germany is a very attractive market for investors and new business owners alike. It is the largest economy in Europe and ranks as the fourth-largest global economy.
Germany has a highly civilised culture and a consistently strong economy. The German way of doing things is not so much about national stereotypes, but is about the ways of doing business that Germans feel comfortable with and that they find works for them. Foreign businesses looking to trade in Germany should take careful account of this cultural context.
The business set-up or development process in Germany isn't restricted to administrative tasks alone: to give your company the best possible start, you'll need to understand the professional landscape around you. Germany is made up of 16 constituent states, each with its own distinct regional character, culture and customs relating to issues like punctuality, status, politeness, and, corporate and social responsibility. To ensure your business attracts the right employees, clients and customers, it's worth taking the time to become familiar with the business community you're planning to join.
Germany is a very attractive market for investors and new business owners alike. It is the largest economy in Europe and ranks as the fourth-largest global economy.
Germany has a highly civilised culture and a consistently strong economy. The German way of doing things is not so much about national stereotypes, but is about the ways of doing business that Germans feel comfortable with and that they find works for them. Foreign businesses looking to trade in Germany should take careful account of this cultural context.
The business set-up or development process in Germany isn't restricted to administrative tasks alone: to give your company the best possible start, you'll need to understand the professional landscape around you. Germany is made up of 16 constituent states, each with its own distinct regional character, culture and customs relating to issues like punctuality, status, politeness, and, corporate and social responsibility. To ensure your business attracts the right employees, clients and customers, it's worth taking the time to become familiar with the business community you're planning to join.
Germany has one of the most robust economies in the world, as the fourth largest in size and second largest in exports. In 2020, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) reached $3,861 trillion on a nominal basis.
Germany's exports and imports rose to record highs last year, despite the broad growth of the global economy. Exports climbed by 6.3 percent to 1.28 trillion euros in 2017, while imports rose 8.3 percent to 1.03 trillion euros, according to the Federal Statistics Office. Due to stronger import growth, the trade surplus fell from € 244.9 billion in the previous year to € 244.9 billion. The strong growth of foreign trade underscores the dynamics of the global economy. Exports and imports steadily increased with countries inside and outside the EU bloc.
Germany has benefited strongly from inclusion in the European Union, which has helped it become more competitive against not only other industrialized countries but also all other members of the Eurozone.
Products with the "Made in Germany" seal stand for the highest quality worldwide. This has played no small part in maintaining Germany's position as world champion exporter for many years. The automobile, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and chemical sectors are particularly strong. Industries of the future such as environmentally friendly energy production and nanotechnology, in which the number of patent applications is doubling every two years, are steadily gaining in importance. Foreign investors can profit from the "Made in Germany" seal of quality.
With 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the European Union's most populous country and therefore also the largest market within the EU. With a gross domestic product of more than 2.2 trillion euros, Germany is the largest economy in Europe and the third strongest economy in the world.
Germany's central location in Europe makes it a hub for goods and services. Germany is especially benefitting from the EU enlargement. As a result, it is the only country among the seven most important industrialized nations to increase its share of world trade since 1995.
Germany is an open market and warmly welcomes foreign investors. That is demonstrated by the 22,000 foreign enterprises that have established businesses in Germany and now employ more than 2.7 million people. The German market is open to entrepreneurial investment in practically all areas. There are no longer any state-controlled industries. Germany is receiving increasing attention from private equity firms and hedge funds due to its highly attractive companies and favourable investment conditions.
More than 7 million foreigners live in Germany. Several metropolitan regions have prominent foreign communities with their own schools, churches, shops and restaurants. For example, a large number of Japanese live in the Düsseldorf region, many Koreans in and around Frankfurt and many Chinese in Hamburg. Approximately 70% of German blue- and white-collar workers can speak English.
Germany offers an exceptionally well-qualified, motivated and conscientious workforce. German employees' high standard of knowledge and skills are internationally recognised. The demand for professionals is met by 383 institutions of higher education. Another pillar of the German training system is the "dual system" of vocational education, which combines workplace training and school instruction and produces an acknowledged high standard of training closely oriented towards the needs of industry.
Statistically, Germany has 277 international patents per one million inhabitants – more than anywhere else in the world. The close cooperation between industry and world-famous research institutions like the Max Planck and Fraunhofer Institutes swiftly transforms new ideas into products for the world market.
Germany has a closely knit network of roads, railways and international airports. That guarantees swift connections. The airport in Frankfurt is an international hub. The Port of Hamburg is one of largest container transshipment centers in Europe. Communications infrastructure is exceptionally well-developed throughout the country.
Germany is a modern constitutional state with transparent and reasonable laws. The advantages are internationally recognize. The German legal system has served as a model for legal systems in many other countries. International studies demonstrate that German legal security is highly regarded by investors. Among all countries, Germany ranks fourth in terms of legal security.
The German economy is characterised by privately owned small and medium-sized firms, the Mittelstand. 85% of all businesses are small or medium-sized. This makes German industry very flexible, multifaceted and competitive. Many of these highly specialised firms are world market leaders in their field, so-called "hidden champions". source: deutschland-magazine
Brand in Germany
The 50 most valuable brands in Germany have a combined value of €263 billion, according to a new study, which places Germany's top companies ahead of their peers in the UK and France. SAP, Deutsche Telekom, BMW, Daimler and Deutsche Post lead the way, with automotive the country's standout sector.
The analysis, conducted by professional services giant WPP, assessed the 'brand value' of Germany's top companies – which is a measure of how much a brand alone contributes to corporate value, both in terms of financial value and non-quantitative components. The data found that similar to in other countries, but more so in Germany, value is concentrated at the top of the ranking, with the top two brands – SAP and Deutsche Telekom – between them accounting for 29% of the value of the leading 50 brands combined. In comparison, in the UK, the top two brands provide 21% of the top 50's value.
Unsurprisingly, the automotive industry plays a key role in Germany's brand elite. There are five leading global car brands in the German Top 50, a feat which is unmatched in any other national WPP ranking for Western economies. Combined, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi and Volkswagon account for a staggering 22% of the total €263 billion brand value. "Germany itself has become synonymous with the design and engineering of the many automotive brands it has produced. These are brands that have made consumers all over the world willingly pay a premium for "Vorsprung durch Technik", without even knowing quite what it meant," said David Roth, CEO of The Store, WPP's division that serves the retail and fast moving consumer goods sectors.
Germany is also the only European market to be led by a technology brand. With a brand value of $48.9 billion, SAP is the undisputed leader in Germany, alone accounting for 16% of the value of the entire German top 50. The company, which was founded in the early 1970s by five entrepreneurial engineers with a vision to change the way companies do business, is today a world leader in enterprise applications – 87% of Forbes Global 2000 companies are a user of SAP software.
Given the strength of Germany's reputation as a leader in the sector in finance, the relatively small influence of financial services brands is apparent – there are only a handful of banking and insurance businesses in the top 50, including Deutsche Bank and Allianz. Across the board, the top 50 is comprised of brands from 19 different categories, spanning home appliance, apparel, beer, travel, aviation, grocery and media, among others. 2018 ©consultancy
The analysis, conducted by professional services giant WPP, assessed the 'brand value' of Germany's top companies – which is a measure of how much a brand alone contributes to corporate value, both in terms of financial value and non-quantitative components. The data found that similar to in other countries, but more so in Germany, value is concentrated at the top of the ranking, with the top two brands – SAP and Deutsche Telekom – between them accounting for 29% of the value of the leading 50 brands combined. In comparison, in the UK, the top two brands provide 21% of the top 50's value.
Unsurprisingly, the automotive industry plays a key role in Germany's brand elite. There are five leading global car brands in the German Top 50, a feat which is unmatched in any other national WPP ranking for Western economies. Combined, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi and Volkswagon account for a staggering 22% of the total €263 billion brand value. "Germany itself has become synonymous with the design and engineering of the many automotive brands it has produced. These are brands that have made consumers all over the world willingly pay a premium for "Vorsprung durch Technik", without even knowing quite what it meant," said David Roth, CEO of The Store, WPP's division that serves the retail and fast moving consumer goods sectors.
Germany is also the only European market to be led by a technology brand. With a brand value of $48.9 billion, SAP is the undisputed leader in Germany, alone accounting for 16% of the value of the entire German top 50. The company, which was founded in the early 1970s by five entrepreneurial engineers with a vision to change the way companies do business, is today a world leader in enterprise applications – 87% of Forbes Global 2000 companies are a user of SAP software.
Given the strength of Germany's reputation as a leader in the sector in finance, the relatively small influence of financial services brands is apparent – there are only a handful of banking and insurance businesses in the top 50, including Deutsche Bank and Allianz. Across the board, the top 50 is comprised of brands from 19 different categories, spanning home appliance, apparel, beer, travel, aviation, grocery and media, among others. 2018 ©consultancy
Brand Value: $48,943 million
Headquarter City: Walldorf
Category: Technology
Year Formed: 1972
Headquarter City: Walldorf
Category: Technology
Year Formed: 1972
Brand Value: $39,215 million
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Telecom Providers
Year Formed: 1995
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Telecom Providers
Year Formed: 1995
Brand Value: $24,606 million
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1916
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1916
Brand Value: $23,587 million
Headquarter City: Stuttgart
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1883
Headquarter City: Stuttgart
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1883
Brand Value: $18,344 million
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1969
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1969
Brand Value: $15,224 million
Headquarter City: Berlin/Munich
Category: Conglomerate
Year Formed: 1847
Headquarter City: Berlin/Munich
Category: Conglomerate
Year Formed: 1847
Brand Value: $12,893 million
Headquarter City: Essen (ALDI Nord) and Mülheim (ALDI Süd)
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1913
Headquarter City: Essen (ALDI Nord) and Mülheim (ALDI Süd)
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1913
Brand Value: $11,820 million
Headquarter City: Herzogenaurach
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1949
Headquarter City: Herzogenaurach
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1949
Brand Value: $9,816 million
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Conglomerate
Year Formed: 1886
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Conglomerate
Year Formed: 1886
Brand Value: $8,580 million
Headquarter City: Ingolstadt
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1909
Headquarter City: Ingolstadt
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1909
Brand Value: $8,178 million
Headquarter City: Neckarsulm
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1973
Headquarter City: Neckarsulm
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1973
Brand Value: $7,707 million
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1890
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1890
Brand Value: $7,344 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Personal Care
Year Formed: 1911
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Personal Care
Year Formed: 1911
Brand Value: $6,315 million
Headquarter City: Atlanta, USA
Category: Soft Drinks
Year Formed: 1940
Headquarter City: Atlanta, USA
Category: Soft Drinks
Year Formed: 1940
Brand Value: $5,658 million
Headquarter City: Stuttgart
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1931
Headquarter City: Stuttgart
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1931
Brand Value: $4,512 million
Headquarter City: Heilbronn
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1838
Headquarter City: Heilbronn
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1838
Brand Value: $4,136 million
Headquarter City: Wolfsburg
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1937
Headquarter City: Wolfsburg
Category: Cars
Year Formed: 1937
Brand Value: $3,749 million
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1947
Headquarter City: Bonn
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1947
Brand Value: $3,591 million
Headquarter City: Frankfurt am Main
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1870
Headquarter City: Frankfurt am Main
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1870
Brand Value: $3,137 million
Headquarter City: Berlin
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1778
Headquarter City: Berlin
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1778
Brand Value: $2,706 million
Headquarter City: Montabaur
Category: Telecom Providers
Year Formed: 1988
Headquarter City: Montabaur
Category: Telecom Providers
Year Formed: 1988
Brand Value: $2,341 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1898
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1898
Brand Value: $2,316 million
Headquarter City: Aschaffenburg
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1976
Headquarter City: Aschaffenburg
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1976
Brand Value: $2,303 million
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Personal Care
Year Formed: 1904
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Personal Care
Year Formed: 1904
Brand Value: $2,250 million
Headquarter City: Gütersloh
Category: Home Appliances
Year Formed: 1899
Headquarter City: Gütersloh
Category: Home Appliances
Year Formed: 1899
Brand Value: $2,142 million
Headquarter City: Frankfurt
Category: Airlines
Year Formed: 1926
Headquarter City: Frankfurt
Category: Airlines
Year Formed: 1926
Brand Value: $2,072 million
Headquarter City: Metzingen
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1924
Headquarter City: Metzingen
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1924
Brand Value: $1,946 million
Headquarter City: Leuven, Belgium
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1873
Headquarter City: Leuven, Belgium
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1873
Brand Value: $1,806 million
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1964
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1964
Brand Value: $1,369 million
Headquarter City: Herzogenaurach
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1948
Headquarter City: Herzogenaurach
Category: Apparel
Year Formed: 1948
Brand Value: $1,336 million
Headquarter City: Cologne
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1927
Headquarter City: Cologne
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1927
Brand Value: $1,257 million
Headquarter City: Hannover
Category: Travel Agencies
Year Formed: 1923
Headquarter City: Hannover
Category: Travel Agencies
Year Formed: 1923
Brand Value: $1,249 million
Headquarter City: Neckarsulm
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1984
Headquarter City: Neckarsulm
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1984
Brand Value: $1,219 million
Headquarter City: Frankfurt am Main
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1870
Headquarter City: Frankfurt am Main
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1870
Brand Value: $999 million
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1780
Headquarter City: Munich
Category: Banks
Year Formed: 1780
Brand Value: $919 million
Headquarter City: Kreuztal-Krombach
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1803
Headquarter City: Kreuztal-Krombach
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1803
Brand Value: $912 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1949
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1949
Brand Value: $877 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Tobacco
Year Formed: 1981
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Tobacco
Year Formed: 1981
Brand Value: $854 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1949
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1949
Brand Value: $810 million
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1997
Headquarter City: Düsseldorf
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1997
Brand Value: $792 million
Headquarter City: Leuven, Belgium
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1872
Headquarter City: Leuven, Belgium
Category: Beer
Year Formed: 1872
Brand Value: $759 million
Headquarter City: Wermelskirchen
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1970
Headquarter City: Wermelskirchen
Category: Retail
Year Formed: 1970
Brand Value: $744 million
Headquarter City: Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1932
Headquarter City: Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1932
Brand Value: $706 million
Headquarter City: Waldenbuch
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1912
Headquarter City: Waldenbuch
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1912
Brand Value: $706 million
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1972
Headquarter City: Hamburg
Category: Logistics
Year Formed: 1972
Brand Value: $696 million
Headquarter City: Berlin
Category: Entertainment
Year Formed: 1952
Headquarter City: Berlin
Category: Entertainment
Year Formed: 1952
Brand Value: $618 million
Headquarter City: Bochum
Category: Motor Fuels
Year Formed: 1898
Headquarter City: Bochum
Category: Motor Fuels
Year Formed: 1898
Brand Value: $610 million
Headquarter City: Bielefeld
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1891
Headquarter City: Bielefeld
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1891
Brand Value: $519 million
Headquarter City: Nonnweiler-Otzenhausen
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1968
Headquarter City: Nonnweiler-Otzenhausen
Category: Food & Dairy
Year Formed: 1968
Brand Value: $518 million
Headquarter City: Coburg
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1933
Headquarter City: Coburg
Category: Insurance
Year Formed: 1933
Invest in Germany
Situated at the heart of Europe, Germany offers excellent opportunities for investors from around the world - and becoming a German resident ensures that you can benefit from all that Germany has to offer.
Not only can investing in Germany be very profitable for those who make the right moves, based on reliable advice, but it can also be a means to gain German residency, and later even German citizenship through naturalisation.
Not only can investing in Germany be very profitable for those who make the right moves, based on reliable advice, but it can also be a means to gain German residency, and later even German citizenship through naturalisation.
Start a Business
You know some things need to change! Why not now?
We believe that any successful business is built on four basic basis, and every company at every level needs to develop one or all of them; business, product and service, brand, and market.
Through defining, designing, developing, and delivering, we provide tailored-made and effective solutions to business, product and service, brands and market challenges.
For better results, we suggest you attend our strategy session - Workshop - so we can discover more about you, your business, your vision for the future, and your possible challenges; and accordingly, provide you with the best business, product and service, brand and market solution possible.
We believe that any successful business is built on four basic basis, and every company at every level needs to develop one or all of them; business, product and service, brand, and market.
Through defining, designing, developing, and delivering, we provide tailored-made and effective solutions to business, product and service, brands and market challenges.
For better results, we suggest you attend our strategy session - Workshop - so we can discover more about you, your business, your vision for the future, and your possible challenges; and accordingly, provide you with the best business, product and service, brand and market solution possible.
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