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NFIA Gulf RegionMonarch Office Tower, 25th floor |
The Northern NetherlandsThe Northern Netherlands consist of the three northern most provinces of Holland: Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. On a map of the Netherlands, the region seems to be located in the periphery. But in the globalizing world of today, the Northern Netherlands are at the center of the Western European economy. Infrastructure Excellent infrastructure connects the Northern Netherlands to the world. To Dutch standards, the region is not very densely populated, so roads are uncongested, serious traffic jams are rare. Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol is a two hour drive, Groningen Airport Eelde offers frequent flights to Schiphol as well as direct flights to several international destinations. But not only 'traditional' infrastructure is in place, the region is very well connected to digital infrastructure as well. High bandwidth, long haul fibreoptic cables connect the region directly to Germany, the UK, the US and Amsterdam. Key cities Most inhabitants of the Northern Netherlands live in the five economic core zones, where people and business are concentrated. The purpose of this concentration policy is to create economies of scale in dynamic, lively cities and at the same time maintain an open, spacious countryside. The key cities of the region (Groningen, Assen, Emmen and Leeuwarden) are all located in these core zones. Quality of life The quality of life is high in the Northern Netherlands: Houses are relatively cheap and there is ample housing available; crime rates are low, people feel safe; and one does not have to stand in line on the highway everyday. Moreover, there is a wide range of natural and cultural amenities to enjoy. Walking, cycling or canoeing through the countryside, sailing on one of Friesland's lakes. Or you can visit one of the region's many restaurants, festivals, museums or concert venues. Key industries The Dutch national government has identified several regional economic clusters that have the potential to become internationally significant. In the Northern-Netherlands there are three of these clusters. Sensor technology The Northern sensor market is still small, but growing rapidly. There are currently 107 companies and organizations operating in this field, totaling around 3800 jobs. These are all highly qualified jobs. Research has shown that the Northern Netherlands is an excellent region for the emerging area of intelligent sensor systems. The Northern sensor community covers the entire spectrum, from initial knowledge development up to and including development, marketing and implementation of sensor applications. Especially the knowledge institutions, but increasingly the companies themselves, are involved in the development of new technology, which is important to safeguard innovation in the long run. Companies mainly focus on translating (development and engineering) of technology into market applications. Energy Since the discovery of the giant natural gas fields near the northern Dutch town of Slochteren, an important cluster of energy-related companies and knowledge centers has developed in the Northern Netherlands. This sector consists of more than 300 companies, employing around 18,000 people. Recently, the region has seen the development of many activities in the field of sustainable energy. Added to the concentration of knowledge in the field of energy, this makes the Northern Netherlands one of the main energy regions of the country. Water technology The Northern Netherlands water sector (130 companies, employing around 3500 people) is innovative and ambitious and has increasingly earned the reputation as the European center for water technology and water management. The sector plays a primary role in the field of water quality and leads the way internationally with experiments in combination with other sectors, like energy and sensor technology. Besides this there are a number of other strong sub-sectors such as the drinking water and industrial water suppliers, water management, hydraulics, pipes and sewerage, and water and horticulture. Besides these three clusters, there are several other sectors that are of great importance to the regional economy:
Availability of personnel For many companies, the availability of qualified personnel is a major reason to locate in this region. On January 1, 2007, the region was home to 1,702,078 people (CBS, 2007) and 78,509 unemployed, of which 10,690 received higher vocational or academic education (CWI, 2007). So there is quite a number of potential employees, both qualified and less qualified. Generally speaking, the labor shortages that occur in most other parts of the Netherlands are less severe in this region. The low participation rate and relatively high unemployment result in a large potential labor force.
(Source: CBS, 2007) Education The region is home to several universities and schools for vocational education. This is a list of the different types of educational facilities in the region:
Foreign companies Demographic figures
Regional development agency
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