AlfaNet: The Bremen-based company that brings Taiwanese display screens to Europe

Weatherproof displays for transport services, and screens that don’t produce glare in bright sunlight – these are just some of the devices provided by AlfaNet Computer und Electronic Handels GmbH, a Bremen-based company founded nearly 25 years ago by Thomas Lie. Today he manages the European service centre for the Taiwanese display manufacturer Litemax.

Whether you’re looking at a digital ad banner, the screen of a satnav, or the departures board at a train station, it’s essential that a display can be read in all lighting and weather conditions. Be it LED or LCD, it needs to be clearly visible in bright sunlight, without producing any screen glare. The Taiwanese company Litemax manufactures displays that meet these challenging requirements, and AlfaNet Computer und Electronic Handels GmbH in Bremen serves as its distribution and support centre for the whole of Europe.

The road to success

Managing director Thomas Lie has lived in Bremen for 25 years, ever since he began working for Garnet GmbH at the World Trade Center Bremen in 1991. He founded AlfaNet in 1993, initially focusing on the import and distribution of computer components and the assembly of complete systems. Since then, AlfaNet has made a name for itself as the German distribution and service centre for various motherboard manufacturers, in addition to providing sales, service and support for Litemax in Europe.

Today, AlfaNet is based at Julius-Faucher-Strasse 31, close to the Weserpark shopping centre. A total of ten people are employed in the office and warehouse, taking care of development, sales, logistics, repairs and support all under one roof. “The company has grown steadily since its founding,” says Lie.

Custom-made displays for a wide range of industries

AlfaNet has hundreds of customers all across Europe, including computer specialists and companies from other sectors of industry – around 60 per cent of which are from Germany. The LEDs and LCDs produced by Litemax are used for a variety of purposes, including advertising, museums, shipbuilding, logistics, and at airports and train stations as well. Even luxury limousines built in Germany are fitted with Litemax displays. One day, vehicles could be driven entirely through the use of innovative panels. Litemax in Taiwan has been developing these displays in close collaboration with the AlfaNet team in Bremen, with the ultimate aim of full-scale series production.

International assistance and in-country support

For any entrepreneur looking to establish a business in an unfamiliar location, getting started is always the hardest part. To help you get set up, Bremeninvest has local representatives in China, Turkey and the USA who provide information, advice and referral services for businesses looking to base themselves in Bremen. In addition to helping newcomers find their way, the Bremeninvest international affairs team and the Unternehmensservice Bremen provide various forms of support for foreign firms that have already established themselves in the city. The welcome service is one such example, and you can find out more about how it helps foreign professionals and entrepreneurs in this article.

Our contacts for Chinese businesses in Bremen are Matthias Hempen, tel: +49 (0)421 960 0127, matthias.hempen@bremen-invest.com, and Karin Noetzel, tel: +49 (0)421 960 0122, karin.noetzel@bremen-invest.com.

Click here for further information on relocating to Bremen and setting up a business in the city.