• Baden-Württemberg is one of the most important markets and locations for logistics in Germany. As well as production-related logistics services, Baden-Württemberg has particular strengths in intralogistics and research and development relevant to logistics.

• Baden-Württemberg with its large conglomerations Mannheim/Karlsruhe and Stuttgart/Heilbronn, as well as Ulm, is of particular significance for logistics within Germany and in cross- border traffic with neighbouring countries. The state of Baden- Württemberg is especially important in European terms for east- west traffic.

• The density of businesses, which is unrivalled in Europe, and a high population density are important indicators of demand for logistical services of all types and guarantee a strong sales market for logistics companies in Baden-Württemberg.

• The logistics sector in Baden-Württemberg is one of the largest industrial sectors in the state. Around 17,000 businesses are active in the core Logistics sector (logistics companies, their service-providers and companies providing warehousing and logistics technology), generating a turnover of 35,4 billion Euros.

• The core Logistics sector employs over 178,000 people. If all employees with jobs in logistics in trade and industry are included, the number of jobs rises to around 400,000, underlining the major importance of the sector in the state.

• The logistics sector in Baden-Württemberg is based strongly on medium-sized companies. In addition to a multitude of small and medium-sized logistics companies acting in Europe and worldwide, many of the major companies in the sector also have subsidiaries in the state.

• The south-west of Germany has an outstanding infrastructure in terms of access by land or water, rail and air. Baden- Württemberg lies on the intersection of the main European traffic axes and has a dense national road network with over 1,500 km of motorway and more than 5,000 km of A-roads. As well as the road network, around 4,700 km of rail network optimise the distribution of goods and products. Four of the ten largest inland ports in Germany are located in Baden-Württemberg, as well as the international airport at Stuttgart and three regional airports.

• The south-west lies in third place nationally for new buildings in the logistics sector. The highly attractive nature of Baden- Württemberg as a logistics location is confirmed by the existing structure with its ultra-modern logistics buildings. The large number of existing logistics buildings is evidence of the economic strength of the state with substantial customer potential and a strong, widely-spread industrial base.

Source: Kompetenzatlas Logistik Baden-Württemberg; Hoppenstedt Ranking 2007 for the logistics sector; Top 100 in logistics