BaselArea

BaselArea launches cooperation with new partner

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:54:00 +0100

Anyone passing Stand A10 in the Congress Center Basel is treated to an unusual sight. From a wide 420 cm window, the visitor is presented with a view of unspoilt Jura pastures. It is a perfect illustration of the fact that, thanks to its new partner Jura, BaselArea has a far wider range of building land that it can offer its customers in the future.

BaselArea cooperates with a regional real estate network in helping foreign companies to settle here and providing start-ups from the region with support. And the stand also gives BaselArea the opportunity to team up with property developers from this network, who are presenting their most important projects at the fair. These are Adimmo AG, the GrAmA Group, the Basel-City department Stadtwohnen and Jelmoli Real Estate.

Swissbau Real Estate is a new platform for the real estate sector that is taking place during the Swissbau trade fair in the Congress Center Basel from 12 to 16 January.

BaselArea is responsible for promoting the business region of Basel on the international stage. The joint business development group of the cantons Basel-Stadt, Baselland and Jura provides support to foreign companies settling in the region and offers advice to local start-up companies. Their services are available free of charge to anyone interested. Every year BaselArea looks after around 700 customers and supports about 80 companies starting up or settling in the region.

For further information:
Sabine Schenker, Communication and Marketing, BaselArea, Tel. 061 295 50 02,
Mobile 079 545 35 70, sabine.schenkeranti spam bot@baselareaanti spam bot.ch, www.baselarea.ch

The new Basel start-up centre “Basel Inkubator” is ready for business

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:43:00 +0100

The construction of the “Basel Inkubator” in the Stücki Business Park in Basel was completed in December 2009. The infrastructure includes offices and meeting rooms, as well as laboratory facilities. Together with the coaching, this allows young entrepreneurs to keep their costs as low as possible in the initial phase of the building the business and to develop an important basis for the start-up company. This lowers the risk of foundering to which potential start-ups are often exposed.
The offer is aimed primarily at spin-offs with a technological background from the University of Basel and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. The two universities firmly believe that more research results have real business potential. As long as there are sufficient places available, companies of other origins may also apply to the use the “Basel Inkubator”. Various research groups have already expressed their interest and will soon be moving into the building.
Broadly based initiative
The “Basel Inkubator” is an initiative of the University of Basel, the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Canton Basel-Stadt and “EVA – the Basel life sciences start-up agency”. The management of the “Basel Inkubator” was entrusted to “EVA – the Basel life sciences start-up agency”, a consulting organization specializing in start-ups. Peter Burckhardt, CEO of EVA and “Basel Inkubator”, is delighted with this new challenge: “It is motivating to have the opportunity to help start-up companies in this difficult initial phase. The “Basel Inkubator” is a very important vehicle for fostering innovation and fills what had been a big gap in our region.”

For further information:

Peter Burckhardt, CEO EVA - the Basel life sciences start-up agency, Tel. +41 61 633 30 10

40,000 new jobs in the Basel region within eleven years

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:39:00 +0100

The study, conducted by the market research institute Prognos, shows that the Basel region is economically well positioned for the coming decade. It has over eleven key industries: pharmaceuticals, agrotechnology, speciality chemicals, medical engineering, the capital goods industry, banks, insurance, logistics, the trade fair industry, tourism and the creative sector (culture, architecture etc.). The most important drivers of growth are likely to be the life sciences industries, such as the pharmaceutical sector.
According to Kai Gramke from Prognos, most key sectors are planning to create new jobs in the Basel region. On the basis of company statements, the institute expects around 40,000 new jobs to be created by 2020.

Roche a world leader in research

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0100

Roche and Novartis are mixing it with the big boys when it comes to investments in research and development. In the last three years they have increased their spending on research and development by 50 percent. This has taken them several rungs up the ladder in the EU list of the world’s biggest R&D investors, where they now occupy positions four (Roche) and ten (Novartis).
According to the report of the EU Commission, the ten largest industrial companies doing the most research worldwide include two companies from the EU and five from the USA, with the Japanese company Toyota topping the list.

Basel lowers taxes again for companies

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:19:00 +0200

To be specific, the Basel government decided on Tuesday that the maximum rate of profit tax will be lowered from today’s 22 percent to 21.5 percent. In view of the current economic and financial position, the tax reduction will take effect in 2011. As the government announced, it will impact the budget in 2012.
The government had already lowered the maximum rate of profit tax in 2008 and 2009 from 24.5 to 22 percent. After the planned reduction to 21.5 percent, two further reduction steps of 0.5 percent each will follow – but only when economic growth and the net debt ratio permit, as the government notes in its communication.

For more information (only in German):

http://www.medienmitteilungen.bs.ch/2009-09-15-rrbs-003.htm

Switzerland replaces United States at top of competitiveness rankings

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:01:00 +0200

Singapore, Sweden and Denmark round out the top five. European economies continue to prevail in the top 10 with Finland, Germany and the Netherlands following suit. The United Kingdom, while remaining very competitive, has continued its fall from last year, moving down one more place this year to 13th, mainly attributable to continuing weakening of its financial markets. The People’s Republic of China continues to lead the way among large developing economies, improving by one place this year, solidifying its position among the top 30. Among the three other large BRIC economies, Brazil and India also improve, while Russia falls by 12 places. Several Asian economies perform strongly with Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Republic of Korea and Taiwan, China also in the top 20. In Latin America, Chile is the highest ranked country, followed by Costa Rica and Brazil.

"The strong interdependence among the world’s economies makes this a truly global economic crisis in every sense. Policy-makers are presently struggling with ways of managing these new economic challenges, while preparing their economies to perform well in a future economic landscape characterized by growing uncertainty. In a difficult global economic environment, it is more important than ever for countries to put into place strong fundamentals underpinning economic growth and development,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

For more information:

http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest%20Press%20Releases/PR_GCR09

BaselArea has a new chairman

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:56:00 +0200

Peter Krebser (57) was elected as the new President at the last members’ meeting of BaselArea, representatives of Cantons Basel City and Baselland and of the leading business organizations in the region. Peter Krebser, who has a doctorate in chemical engineering, is responsible for Global Production at Sika AG, where he is a member of the Executive Committee. He has 25 years of industrial experience, especially in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, where he has held senior positions with Huntsman AG and worked with Novartis, Sandoz and Lonza. Peter Krebser lives in Basel.

Suzanne Thoma has been President of the Board of Directors of BaselArea since 2004. Her achievements during this period include in particular the strategic realignment and focusing of BaselArea on the life sciences and other high-tech sectors. BaselArea has benefited enormously from her experience in management. Since the focal point of Suzanne Thoma’s life at present lies outside the Basel region, she has decided to step down.

BaselArea is responsible for promoting the economic region of Basel on the international stage. The joint promotion of Cantons Basel City and Baselland provides assistance to foreign companies settling in the region and advisory support for new start-ups. The services are available free of charge to anyone interested. Every year, BaselArea looks after around 700 clients and assists about 80 companies in starting up or establishing their business in the region.

For further information:

Dr. Peter Krebser
Sika AG
Tüffenwies 16
8048 Zürich
Tel. 044 436 42 65
krebser.peteranti spam bot@ch.sikaanti spam bot.com

Dr. Suzanne Thoma

Tel. 079 433 54 25

suzthoanti spam bot@bluewinanti spam bot.ch

Sabine Schenker

Kommunikation BaselArea

Tel. 061 295 50 02

Natel 079 545 35 70

sabine.schenkeranti spam bot@baselareaanti spam bot.ch

Projekt 47 - Innovationspark Allschwil

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:03:00 +0200

Im September 2009 fällt der Entscheid für den Startschuss der zweiten Projektphase des Projekts 47. Geplant ist, zwei weitere Gebäude zu erstellen, die analog der ersten beiden Häuser erstellt werden sollen.

Auf dem Grundstück zwischen Hegenheimermattweg, Kreuzstrasse und Kiesstrasse in Allschwil, werden nochmal zwei 5-geschossige Labor- und Bürogebäude realisiert.

Die Neubauten mit 11‘700 m² Büro- und Laborflächen sollen für Firmen aus dem Life Science Bereich zur Verfügung stehen. So werden mehr als 200 hochwertige Arbeitsplätze im innovationspark allschwil – basel geschaffen.

Die Realisierung der Bauten ist aufgeteilt in Grundausbau (Core & Shell) und Mieterausbau. Die Aufteilung in Labor und Büro wird mit dem Mieterausbau definiert und so entsprechend den Wünschen und technischen Anforderungen der jeweiligen Nutzer geplant und ausgeführt. Von den 11‘700 m² ist bereits alles vermietet.

Die Erschliessung der beiden Gebäude erfolgt vom Hegenheimermattweg her über einen Vorplatz, wo sich die Besucher- und Veloparkplätze und in unmittelbarer Nähe vor der Haustür eine Bushaltestelle befinden. Vom Vorplatz gelangt man über den Haupteingang im Zwischenbau in die beiden Hochbauten.

Burckhardt und Partner AG Architekten

Urs B. Lehmann

Dornacherstr. 210

4053 Basel

Tel. +41 61 338 35 10

urs.b.lehmannanti spam bot@burckhardtpartneranti spam bot.ch

BASF presents concept for Basel site

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:41:00 +0200

In addition, the European business unit for plastic additives and the global units for technology management and the restructuring of the pigment business will be located at the former headquarters of Ciba Holding AG in Basel. BASF is also establishing a new Business Center Switzerland in Basel, which will provide a platform for sales as well as finance and personnel functions in Switzerland. Basel will also be home to a BASF research center focusing on plastics, coatings and paper.

Following the closing of the acquisition on April 9, 2009, teams of experts from BASF and Ciba started analyzing the best possible combination of the businesses. The decision in favor of Basel underlines the strong position the former Ciba headquarters will have within the BASF Group. BASF said that Basel would be the headquarters of one of its global operating divisions when it announced its plans to acquire Ciba in September 2008. Detailed integration plans and the necessary restructuring measures will be published in July.

Dr. Fred Baumgartner was appointed head of the Paper Chemicals division effective April 2009. This division combines products and solutions to improve the production and properties of paper.

As planned, BASF intends to merge Ciba Holding AG with BASF Specialty Chemicals Holding GmbH, Basel. The remaining minority shareholders in Ciba will then receive a cash compensation of CHF 50 per share.
www.basf.com

Promoting the region abroad: Jura and the Basel area together

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:09:00 +0200

Basel / Delémont / Liestal, 29 May 2009

Canton Jura wants to use the BaselArea brand to acquire future customers on foreign markets. With this in mind, a close cooperation was agreed upon between the economic promotion organization of the two Basel cantons and the canton of Jura. The members’ meeting of the BaselArea organization and the three cantonal governments have approved the cooperation.

Everyone benefits from the collaboration

The agreement provides for an amalgamation of the partners’ networks with the aim of settling companiies from abroad in their regions. This partnership will enable the markets to be managed more efficiently and effectively. Canton Jura is responsible for markets in France, the Benelux countries and Russia, where it already has a very broadly developed business network, while BaselArea focuses predominantly on Germany, the USA, Canada, Japan and other countries. The economic development group is aimed in particular at life sciences companies. But companies from other sectors are also of interest to the region.

This cooperation is in the interest both of BaselArea and of Canton Jura. The two partners complement each other in terms of economic development and industrial structure. This applies to the markets, the types of companies, the languages, the know-how and also the experience gathered to date, which promises a strengthening of the industrial centres of Basel and Canton Jura.

Economic promotion of Jura remains in Delémont

BaselArea and the Jura will agree on operational activities and guarantee transparency in financial incentives for companies wanting to settle in the region. But both partners remain structurally autonomous. This means the economic development organization of Canton Jura will remain in Delémont. But the Jura will enjoy observer status at the members’ meetings of BaselArea. The two partners will coordinate their strategies for promoting the region abroad. For all the benefits provided by BaselArea, in particular shared use of the umbrella brand, BaselArea will receive an annual compensation of 250,000 francs from Canton Jura.

Full membership will be considered later

Thanks to this agreement, Canton Jura can join forces with a strong and nearby business centre, the metropolis of Basel, with which it already has important ties in a number of areas. Accordingly, the end of 2009 will see Canton Jura leaving the economic development organization of Western Switzerland (DEWS), where it has been a member since 2005, without having achieved the results it had hoped for. In the long term, the canton is seeking full membership of BaselArea. The conditions for this will be reviewed in the third year of the four-year cooperation.

Information:
Dr. Suzanne Thoma
President BaselArea
Phone 079 433 54 25
suzthoanti spam bot@bluewinanti spam bot.ch
www.baselarea.ch

Michel Probst, Government Councillor Canton Jura
Department of Economics, Cooperation and Communities
Phone 032 420 52 03
secr.deccanti spam bot@juraanti spam bot.ch

Dr. Franz Saladin
CEO BaselArea
Phone 061 295 50 05
franz.saladinanti spam bot@baselareaanti spam bot.ch
www.baselarea.ch