RICHARD MUIR
Germany is the largest economy in Europe and the fourth largest market for Scotland, accounting for exports worth £1.9 billion in 2016.
It’s also the most important European export market for Scotland as a single destination for goods, and an absolute powerhouse of an economy.
Glasgow Chamber has been growing ties with various German business organisations for several years, and our signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Berlin Chamber of Commerce in April formally strengthened one of those relationships.
So not much consideration was required before we agreed to collaborate with Scottish Development International and Edinburgh Chamber on a recent trade mission to Berlin.
Four Glasgow-based companies - Linian Supply Co Ltd, Wind Farm Analytics, Gold Hart and Freedom Scripted Entertainment - were among the 12 Scottish companies that took part in the trip.
All 12 businesses were able to have a stand at a Berlin Chamber event, where German guests could sample their produce. The food and drink companies went to KaDeWe, the second biggest department store in Europe, to meet buyers.
One of the Glasgow companies is already very close to a game changing deal - watch out for more details soon.
As Glasgow and Berlin prepare to co-host next month’s European Championships, it was fantastic to see our business communities connect to secure and grow further links between both cities.
There is no doubt Germany is a willing market. They love Scottish products and services, and they are very warm towards Scotland in general.
And we have a great infrastructure and network to support us, via SDI and Scottish Enterprise, with the German capital also having a permanent presence from the Scottish Government in its innovation and investment hub.
You get a sense in Berlin of how fast things are growing, particularly around tech industries, bioscience, digital and creative services and power engineering. There is undoubtedly a potential market there for Scottish expertise in these sectors.
With direct flights from Glasgow and a very powerful and helpful Chamber of Commerce, the relationship should grow beyond the European Championship and present lots of opportunities for our businesses.
In times of Brexit it has become even more important to encourage bilateral collaboration on national and regional level, and very important on the level of metropolitan regions.
The metropolitan Chambers of Commerce are the right players to do the latter and help defy the potential negative impacts of the departure from the European Union.
Richard Muir is deputy chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
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