Bremen Business Statistics 2021
Investing in BremenManufacturing sector and commercial port operations in Bremen
Vehicles, aircraft, ships, ports and transport logistics – Bremen industry has so much to offer you. This is an overview of the trade and manufacturing sectors in the Federal State of Bremen.
Goods from Bremen are in great demand, all over the world. Mercedes vehicles from the group's second largest plant, aircraft parts for Airbus, coffee, tea and fish – goods produced in Bremen are in demand in every part of the globe.
Bremen's ports play a central role in ensuring that these goods are transported world-wide. This not only applies to Bremen businesses. Companies throughout Germany use the Hanseatic city's port facilities (the fourth largest in Northern Europe) to handle their merchandise.
This is an infographic with data about companies, production figures and transshipment statistics for Bremen's ports:
Success Stories
Gleistein: High-Tech Ropes from Bremen-Blumenthal for the World
For more than 200 years, Gleistein has been combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology—and is considered one of the Hanseatic city’s “hidden champions.”
Learn more35 years of the World Trade Center in Bremen – More than just a Building
The World Trade Center (WTC) in Bremen opened 35 years ago. Today, it gives companies easier access to international markets than ever before, as Anna Heines from Bremeninvest explains in this interview.
Learn moreWhat is Economic Development?
What is Economic Development? The aim of economic development is to help companies to get established in a particular location (municipality), to expand and to run their business.
Learn moreAre electric heavy-duty trucks viable in real-world operations?
A quiet revolution is taking shape in the logistics industry: More and more companies are turning to electric heavy-duty vehicles. But is it worth it in the long run? Two examples from Bremen show how it could work.
Learn moreFrom Logistics to Delicacies – Bremen is attracting international investment
Germany’s smallest federal state can look back at the high levels of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), worth 60 million Euros, in 2025. The synergy between high tech and favourable conditions for doing business has been attracting investors from all over the world.
Learn moreUrbanscreen makes places shine and tell stories
Urbanscreen has made a name for itself with spectacular video projections on buildings such as the Sydney Opera House. Initially focussing on the aesthetic combination of moving images and architecture, the Bremen-based company now uses special locations in order to tell their stories.
Learn more10 Leading Coffee Companies from Bremen
From trading to roasting to logistics – no one does coffee quite like Bremen. But who are the players driving the business in Germany’s coffee capital? Meet ten of them.
Learn moreBremen’s Economy in Figures: Statistics 2025
The State of Bremen is a strong economic hub. A look at the latest statistics highlights its economic strength — summarising key data such as cargo volumes, export performance, industry turnover, and more.
Learn moreMedium-Sized Companies in Bremen Showcasing the Full Range of the Local Economy
Medium-sized companies form the backbone of Bremen’s economy. They create jobs and produce goods that are in demand worldwide. Here is a selection of ten businesses that illustrate the diversity of Bremen’s economic landscape.
Learn moreMeasure, Test, Inspect – 11 Examples of Precision Engineering from Bremen
Not many people could name a manufacturer of metrology and testing equipment, but without their products we would not have space probes, aircraft or medical equipment. And Bremen is home to a whole host of these specialist companies.
Learn moreTwelve international food and beverage companies in Bremen
Becks and Melitta may be high-profile brands, but international food and beverage companies also manufacture lots of other products in Bremen and Bremerhaven. Here are twelve examples.
Learn moreProfile of Bremen's eight ports
Bremen's ports are the engine that drives economic activity throughout the region. But do you know which goods arrive and depart, and where? We have taken a look around the eight port complexes in Bremen.
Learn moreTake-off for Bremen: what makes the city a hub for aerospace expertise
The sky is not the limit. Science, production, development and business all agree on this. Aircraft wings, Ariane rockets, Galileo satellites - Bremen is one of the top locations in the international aerospace industry. Five reasons for Bremen's success story.
Learn moreBremen – Germany's greenest city
The greenest major city in Germany is Bremen - with an average of 60 square metres of sports, leisure and recreation space per person. Parks, sports facilities, but also water areas invite you to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city every day.
Learn more8 Bremen Companies involved in Mass Spectrometry
If you want to get down to the smallest building blocks of our world, you need mass spectrometers. And there are few places in the world where there is such a high concentration of specialists and manufacturing companies and suppliers in this sector as in Bremen.
Learn moreNine products from Bremen that nobody has heard of, but everyone uses
Products made in Bremen can be found in many everyday objects, and most of us are likely to come into contact with one or more on a daily basis. Read on to find out what they are.
Learn moreLetters from Vietnam: Winter 2025 edition
What effects will the sweeping changes in the White House have on Vietnam's economy? Could the current administrative reforms have negative implications for foreign investors? These topics and more will be discussed in the latest Letter from Vietnam.
Learn moreClockwise opens its first German location in Bremen: Flexible coworking with a regional flair
The British company Clockwise has opened its first German location in Bremen. With locations in London, Belgium, The Netherlands, and now on Martinistraße in the city center, the company follows a clear vision: to create workspaces that are flexible, welcoming, and tailored to the needs of modern professionals.
Learn more8 New Buildings in Bremen in 2024
Despite the crisis, the real estate industry in Bremen is shining with numerous new construction projects. Showpieces such as the John & Will Silo Hotel top our list of eight new buildings.
Learn moreOur 10 Most Favourite Places Last Year
Bremen has a lot to offer, whether it's sunny or rainy. Of course, you have to capture this in the form of stunning photos. Here are our very personal highlights from the past year.
Learn moreThe Polymath from Horn-Lehe
No can do? No such thing! GERADTS GMBH makes the things other companies can’t even imagine. This is why this engineering firm is so firmly rooted in major European aviation and aerospace projects, and also in a myriad of other sectors.
Learn moreBremen's Economy in Figures: 2024 Statistics
A look at the statistics on Bremen's economy in 2024 reveals: Germany's smallest federal state has a lot to offer. An overview of the industrial and service sectors with the most important current figures.
Learn more“After all, we're here because someone else made room for us, and it's our duty to do the same for others”
Theoretical physicist, industrial mathematician, manager – as a member of the start-up company TOPAS, Dr. Shruti Patel creates change in Bremen. However, being a role model has not always been easy for her.
Learn moreState of Bremen at Expo Real 2024: property market stable and robust despite recent crises
The State of Bremen will present itself as having a forward-looking property market that can withstand turbulent times at the Expo Real 2024 trade fair (Europe's leading property event) in Munich, Germany. From the 7th to the 9th of October 2024, 27 companies from Bremen and Bremerhaven will showcase their pioneering, sustainable real estate projects on a joint 200 square metre stand at the fair.
Learn moreA Space for Innovations and Ideas in Bremen City
Six years ago, Arne Stehnken was still a new founder himself; today he is part of the management team at the software company syniotec in Bremen's city centre. To make the start easier for other founders, start-ups and creative people and to offer them a place to work, network and exchange ideas, he and his company have opened a creative and innovation centre - a source of inspiration for fresh ideas in the heart of Bremen´s city centre.
Learn moreLetters from Vietnam: Summer 2024 – Are German companies underestimating Vietnam?
Are German companies underestimating investment opportunities in Vietnam? And is Cambodia stealing the limelight from Vietnam? You'll find details about all this and more in our summer 2024 Vietnam newsletter.
Learn moreFrom the sun of southern France into the northern German summer: an internship at ECOMAT
What is it like to be a intern at the technology centre ECOMAT? Éva Perrier comes from Montpellier – and quickly finds her feet in Bremen. What she loves about Bremen.
Read more at ECOMAT“We’re blazing our own trail”
SAACKE is a hidden champion renowned the world over for its combustion systems, which can be relied upon on tankers in international waters and in continuous operation in car factories. Leading the way in technology, the Bremen-based business has been setting a global example by using hydrogen for over 40 years.
Learn moreThe new ECOMAT CRYOLAB: Working at “Absolute Zero”
To enable aircraft to fly CO2-free on hydrogen in the future, aircraft tanks must be developed for extreme conditions: lightweight, robust, impermeable to hydrogen and at temperatures close to absolute zero - a challenging task. Bremen's ECOMAT now has a new laboratory to test the materials for this.
Take a look into the Cryolab20 Years of Bremen in China
The Bremeninvest office opened its doors in Shanghai two decades ago. As the international brand of the WFB, Bremeninvest had set itself the goals of reinforcing the economic links between Bremen and China and inspiring Chinese businesses to consider relocating to Bremen. Since then, more than 150 companies have set up premises in the Hanseatic city.
Learn moreLetters from Türkiye: Summer 2024 edition
Turkey has discovered railways and is building on infrastructure. A way to greater resilience and a path out of the crisis? And ... how Bremen is refocussing its economic development strategy in Turkey.
Learn moreLocational factors for companies: seven convincing arguments for choosing Bremen
The right location for a business depends on many factors - infrastructure, location, but also labor supply and quality of life. Bremen convinces companies from Germany and abroad with numerous location factors.
Learn moreHave you watered your pencil today?
Into the flowerbed instead of the trash: the products from Bremen-based Scribbling Seeds turn discarded office and advertising materials into tomatoes, basil or sunflowers. Founder Anushree Jain is certain that this is the way to a more sustainable office.
Learn moreBremen is one of Germany’s leading industrial hubs
Bremen is Germany’s sixth-largest industrial hub in terms of revenue. Whether the sector is aerospace, food, automotive, shipping or steel production, Bremen has always been a major player.
Learn moreTen Bremen companies in the import and export business
As a Hanseatic metropolis, international trade is in the blood of the people of Bremen. From here, companies control their worldwide destiny, import and export goods from the most remote corners - we present 10 of them
Learn moreAerial photos of Bremen 2024 – Bremen from above
New perspectives on our beloved Hanseatic city – we take to the skies and show Bremen from above.
Learn moreBremen continues to attract foreign investors
Last year, international companies and investors invested around 8 million Euros in Bremen. In particular, it was funding for sustainable projects that attracted special attention at home and abroad.
Learn moreBrüning Group: From Fischerhude to the Überseeinsel
New settlement in Bremen: for three decades, the Brüning Group had its company headquarters in Fischerhude. In the summer of 2023, the rapidly expanding company moved its head offices to the Überseeinsel in the Überseestadt (the New Harbour District) in Bremen. A modern brick-built office block with a glass facade now stands where Kellogg's once stored rice.
Learn moreLetters from Silicon Valley: Winter 2023 – a Journey into the world of AI
AI at any cost or proportionate regulation? Silicon Valley is divided on the subject, as shown not least by the conflict surrounding OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman in the past few weeks. By visiting Silicon Valley as a delegation, we are personally going to find out how things are exactly.
Learn moreBuilt on Solid Ground: What History Can Tell Us about the Property Market in Bremen
The real estate sector is currently in a crisis. However, if we look back into the past, data from previous decades shows that Bremen's property market has remained stable, despite the challenging times.
Learn moreNeed a base in Europe? Bremen is the Key
When was the last time you enjoyed a Beck’s beer? Or told your children the story of the Bremen Town musicians? The North German Federal State of Bremen is home to 685,000 people and is world-famous for premium brands. It's also the key to Europe.
Learn moreA plate of Shanghai in the middle of Bremen
New in Bremen: Juicy dumplings, freshly prepared, with savoury or spicy sauce - Mr. Dumpling brings Chinese flair to Bremen's city centre.
Learn moreProperty Market: Bremen Still Producing Solid Results
Once a year, renowned analysts collect information for the Real Estate Market Report. This is a review of the past year, combined with forecasts based on the market data available within the first six months. The 2023 report shows stable results despite the current difficult market conditions.
Learn more"There's a great deal of interest in setting up a business Bremen"
In May this year, Malte Blank took over as project manager for Turkish companies that want to establish a presence in Bremen.
Learn moreLogistics Facilities in Bremen – Can the Hanseatic city hold its own against the market trend?
High interest rates, soaring rents, faltering supply chains and low consumer demand: does this mean the end of the good times for the once record-breaking logistics facilities sector? How is Bremen doing as a property hotspot and how can it safeguard its future?
Learn moreInteractive Science in Bremen
Science plays a leading role in Bremen: in the laboratories of the university, at one of the more than 50 research institutes or in the green botanika. There are many opportunities for visitors to experience science at first hand.
Learn moreWorking Together to Resolve the Skills Shortage
Many sectors are affected by the shortage of qualified employees. However, thanks to its numerous partners, Bremeninvest can offer a broad range of services and assistance to help overcome these problems.
Learn moreTen corporate headquarters in Bremen
Bremen is one of Germany's major industrial hubs, and many international companies base their headquarters and main offices in the city. Here are ten examples that may not be familiar to everyone.
Learn moreAiming high: Start-ups take off with the incubator ESA BIC Northern Germany
Tailor-made support to successfully bring your own idea to the market - or into space? That's possible in Bremen with the ESA BIC Northern Germany incubation programme. Start-ups from a wide range of sectors can apply. Inge Heydt from the Starthaus explains for whom the incubator is suitable and what is behind it.
Read the Interview"With a sound risk management, China still offers great opportunities for German companies"
The entry of Chinese companies into the port of Hamburg or into the German heat pump market caused a stir. China is Germanys most important trading partner, but at the same time the trade war, sanctions and new Chinese laws are changing the business model. Dr Florian Kessler knows how companies must deal with this now.
Learn moreThe biggest car park in Europe
BLG LOGISTICS GROUP AG & Co. KG’s AutoTerminal in Bremerhaven is a record-breaking automotive hub. Every year, the terminal handles some 1.7 million vehicles. But that’s not all.
Learn moreStarting A Career with ECOMAT – How Young Professionals in Bremen Find a Job
Catherine Rau finished her studies at ECOMAT and has now found a job at Airbus in Bremen. So she's now also encouraging other young professionals to consider working in the aviation and aerospace sector in Bremen.
visit ECOMAT websiteHydrogen-Powered Vehicles from Bremen – how ENGINIUS is growing in Bremen
A year ago, ENGINIUS began producing the first hydrogen truck with EU type approval in Bremen. Today, 100 employees already work at the plant. The plans are still set for growth, thanks to tailwind from Bremen and strong demand from around the world.
Learn moreHydrogen Technology Expo in Bremen: Why the World is Looking towards Bremen When it Comes to Hydrogen
Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe is the largest trade fair for suppliers of hydrogen technologies. It takes place in the Hanseatic city of Bremen every September. The big names in this sector will meet up there, once again, on September 27th and 28th 2023.
visit bremen-innovativLight for the Chancellor and the Sun for Bremen
Anyone flying on vacation with an Airbus will almost certainly come into contact with products from the Bremen-based aviation supplier AES Elektro/Elektronik System GmbH. But they are not only to be found in vacation planes - even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz cannot do without them.
Learn moreBremen in Demand Abroad
Around 8 million euros were invested by foreign companies in Bremen in 2022. Especially in the technology sector - as these three examples of successful settlements show.
Learn moreSteady Ahead and Into Calm Waters
165 years after it was founded, the Lloyd Werft was on the verge of collapse. "This business is part of our city" said ship-building company owner Thorsten Rönner. So, together with Kurt Zech, a construction entrepreneur and ship owner based in Bremen, he bought the company. The enterprise will return to its origins as a ship repair yard, as part of the business group run by Rönner and his brothers.
Learn moreNew Buildings in Bremen in 2022
Despite crises and economic challenges, Bremen remains an attractive real estate location – as proven by these 8 selected new construction projects completed in 2022.
Learn moreWhere is Bremen the Number 1?
Robot football, exports, fish fingers and sundials – here are nine examples where Bremen is often at the top of the podium.
Learn more14 shipping companies in Bremen
What would a port city be without shipping companies? Like a town without musicians, perhaps – so it’s a good thing that Bremen is home to a lot of national and international shipping companies. We’ll show you which ones.
Learn more