Ludwigshafen

A strong region

BASF is committed in a variety of ways to the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. As home to a large number of global players and successful medium-sized enterprises and innovative start-ups, it is one of Germany’s driving economic forces.

Nachtaufnahme Straßengeflecht und Rheinbrücke von Ludwigshafen nach Mannheim

 

More than half of the goods produced here are exported. The primary sectors are automotive, machinery and plant engineering, chemicals, information technology, biotechnology and life sciences, energy and the environment as well as the cultural and creative industries. In many of these sectors, the region leads the way both nationally and internationally.

Close links between industry and science.

One hallmark is the close links between industry and science. Together with a large number of renowned research facilities such as the European Molecular Biology Laboratory or the German Cancer Research Center, the 22 universities in the Rhine-Neckar region provide the creative environment for innovative technologies. More than twice as many skilled workers are employed in research in the greater area of Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ludwigshafen compared to the national average. Both universities and non-university scientific institutions also maintain active links with industry and thus ensure a fruitful transfer of knowledge from theory to practice.

Almost no other region has such a long tradition of striving for scientific knowledge. Germany's first university was founded in Heidelberg in 1386. Today more than 85,000 students are enrolled at the universities in the region.

The Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region is not just renowned for its economic strength but also for its quality of life: More than 200 museums, 110 theaters and a vast number of concerts and festivals fill the regional events calendar. Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and more than 200 castles and palaces attest to an eventful history.

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Three natural parks in one of the sunniest regions in Germany are a real paradise for nature lovers and those looking for recreation. Top sport invites you to cheer on your team - and more than 2,700 clubs encourage you to participate. Connoisseurs love the regional cuisine and high-end gastronomy as well as the renowned wines from four wine-growing areas. And the people in the Rhine-Neckar region love their many hundreds of traditional wine festivals and fairs.

To make it easier for skilled workers from abroad to settle into the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region with their families when they first arrive, in 2013 the Rhine-Neckar Welcome Club was founded and many companies in the region are involved with it. The club’s patron is Michael Heinz, a member of the board of management of BASF SE. The Rhine-Neckar Welcome Club supports this networking, for example by organizing joint leisure activities and fairly large events in the companies involved.

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