The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s economic development team, Select CLT, wrapped up an active May by leading an educational webinar focused on market entry into the Charlotte Region. Hosted by Jona Rowold of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S. (GACC South), more than a dozen German companies and other guests listened to the presentation and ensuing dialogue with Gretchen Carson, director of business recruitment; Henk van Ettekoven, president of HUBER Technology US; and Christian Mies, corporate strategy of DEHN SE.
HUBER Technology recently celebrated the completion of a 180,000-square-foot expansion at its Lincoln County facility in April 2024 while DEHN announced its first U.S. facility to be located in Iredell County in March 2024.
The GACC South kicked off 2024 with an innovative opportunity for German companies considering entering the U.S. market – a virtual tour of the southern U.S., by region or state. During the webinar, Carson touched on a variety of topics including business climate, transportation and infrastructure, talent, workforce training, incentives and more, all of which feature the advantages of locating in the thriving Charlotte Region. Rowold led the speakers through a series of questions which explored the strengths of the region and the strategic decisions behind why HUBER and DEHN selected this market for their entry point into the U.S.
“Beyond the strategic location, our decision for the Charlotte Region was fueled by the tremendous support we received throughout and beyond the process, allowing for countless opportunities to make just the right connections for our business,” Miles said.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s economic development team chose to leverage the GACC South’s virtual tour as part of a strategy to continue attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) from Germany, the region’s leading county for FDI with more than 180 German-owned companies. Additionally, the webinar provided an opportunity to gain visibility with German companies ahead of a planned second mission trip to Munich this fall, coinciding with the Carolina Panthers football game against the New York Giants.
