Investment location No. 1: NRW.Global Business

More than 24,000 international companies are based in NRW. They manage their German and European business activities from here. For example, Amazon, 3M, BP, Ericsson, Ford, QVC, UPS, Toyota and Vodafone have discovered NRW as an investment location. This is primarily due to the optimal conditions that international companies find here for their growth. International companies have long since established themselves as major employers and provide jobs for around 1.3 million people in NRW.

(Source: Orbis 2024)

What makes NRW stand out?

Its unmatched investment opportunities!

Andrea Hendrickx, Country Head for Infosys in Germany, explains why NRW is the top investment location in Germany. Discover how NRW provides international companies with the ideal conditions for successful establishment and expansion. Join the beat.

International companies appreciate and enrich NRW

NRW is considered one of the most important investment locations in Europe: At the end of 2023, the Deutsche Bundesbank recorded a total of 197.7 billion euros in foreign direct investment in NRW (FDI, source: Deutsche Bundesbank 2025).

Foreign direct investment in NRW 2025

Despite a challenging global investment climate, NRW continues to hold its own as a location for international companies. In 2025, 275 new foreign investment and expansion projects were recorded, projected to create around 7,222 new jobs. At the same time, it is evident that the momentum of international investment is slowing across Europe, while competition for international companies continues to intensify. Despite these conditions, numerous companies continue to choose NRW to expand, realign and develop their European operations for the long term.

Europe remains the primary source region for foreign direct investment (FDI) in NRW, accounting for 56 percent of all projects. Meanwhile, the high number of projects originating from China, Turkey, Japan, the UK and the Netherlands underscores the location's international appeal. The project landscape also reflects a diverse range of industries, with a particular focus on consumer goods, software and IT services as well as industrial machinery and equipment.

The metropolitan regions along the Rhine and Ruhr rivers are particularly well-represented: the Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn regions account for approximately 61 percent of all investment projects. At the same time, the state's more rural areas are benefiting from the establishment of production facilities, driven largely by the availability of suitable commercial and industrial land. For instance, in 2025, the regions of East Westphalia-Lippe, the Lower Rhine, Münsterland, Aachen and South Westphalia accounted for around 50 percent of production projects, representing more than 1,000 potential jobs.

Source: Own surveys 2026

A large logistics centre with many lorries being loaded and unloaded at loading bays.

A map of the town of Eschweiler and the surrounding area, showing marked commercial and industrial zones as well as symbols for facilities.

Sites for settlements and investments

In NRW, potential investors can find sites in central locations – and at good prices. They benefit from a well-developed infrastructure and the opportunity to expand.

The free commercial site portal GERMAN.SITE

finds the right site for foreign investment projects in NRW – whether it is further details on the infrastructure, the geographical location or the local concentration of the industry concerned, potential investors are well informed via the portal.

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Multicultural NRW with international business communities

A woman with a backpack stands on the banks of the Rhine, looking towards the Hohenzollern Bridge and Cologne Cathedral.

NRW is a cosmopolitan location

Situated in the heart of Europe, NRW is a central and cosmopolitan location: International companies and their employees value not only these geographical key data, but also the quality of life, tolerance and open-mindedness to be found here.

A group of young people stand close together in a circle, looking down at the camera and laughing.

Culture of welcome makes people feel at home

This welcoming culture ensures that both large and smaller communities from different countries quickly feel at home here, not only in terms of business but also culturally. The strong networking of communities within NRW plays an important role in the success of investment projects as it allows access to a broad state network and first-hand information.

A street sign bearing the inscription ‘Immermannstraße’ in German and Japanese, in front of an office building.

Japan location Düsseldorf

In Düsseldorf, for example, Europe's third-largest Japanese community has been growing for over 150 years – today, around 15,000 Japanese live in NRW. With Japanese banks, lawyers, kindergartens and schools, supermarkets and cultural centers, the state offers a diverse Japanese infrastructure that is constantly evolving. Key partners include the Japanese Consulate General, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Düsseldorf (JIHK), JETRO and the Japanese Club.

Several US flags are hanging in front of buildings on Wall Street in New York.

Strong ties between USA and NRW

The United States and NRW also have a long shared history – today, some 14,500 U.S. citizens live in the Rhine-Ruhr region. The U.S. Consulate General is based in Düsseldorf, as are the U.S. Commercial Service and the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The American Chamber of Commerce in Germany offers one of the best business networks in Germany in NRW.

Three businesspeople in suits walk side by side across a glass-covered walkway, chatting and smiling.

More than 30,000 Chinese in NRW

Around 36,500 Chinese also live in NRW. The Chinese service sector is broadly based with insurance companies, real estate agents, lawyers, schools, supermarkets, restaurants and cultural centers. With the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and the Bank of China, there are two large financial institutions with branches in Düsseldorf.

International and foreign schools as a location factor

Employees of international companies and their families not only find the best conditions for a second home in NRW, but their children also have the opportunity to pursue an internationally oriented education here. In total, there are around 5,400 school facilities, including seven international and eleven foreign schools – an important location bonus for foreign company employees. International schools are privately run educational institutions. Here, students can obtain internationally recognized degrees that give them access to the numerous universities and courses of study.

Foreign schools, on the other hand, offer a qualification in accordance with the school laws applicable in the respective country of origin and prepare students, for example, for access to higher education in that country.

Schoolchildren are sitting at their desks in a classroom; several are raising their hands and laughing.

Photo credits

The photographic material was kindly provided by:

© Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH
© Petinov Sergey Mihilovich, Shutterstock
© 75tiks, Shutterstock
© DavideAngelini, Shutterstock
© Matej Kastelic, Shutterstock
© Monkey Business Images, Shutterstock
© Skynesher, iStock

NRW: Investment location No. 1 in Germany

Its unmatched investment opportunities!

International companies appreciate and enrich NRW