Essen – Headquarters City

With some 600,000 inhabitants, the headquarters and trade fair city of Essen is one of Germany's largest cities. The high number of company headquarters make Essen one of the leading decision-making centres in German business. 9 of the top 100 and 18 of the top 500 German companies rated by turnover have their headquarters in Essen.

Essen lies at the heart of the Metropole Ruhr, in which about six million people live and work. That makes the Metropole Ruhr the third largest conurbation in Europe after London and Paris. Around 140 million people live within 500 km of Essen – a massive 40 % of the population of the European Union (EU). Its central position for the sales markets of Europe makes Essen an ideal location for entrepreneurial activity.

The city's silhouette is dominated by an imposing skyline reflecting the enormous financial muscle of the Metropole Ruhr. With approximately 3.5 million m² of office space, Essen has moved into the leading echelon of office locations in Germany. 80 percent of wage-earners subject to social insurance contributions in Essen work in the service sector, with business and commercial services particularly strong.

Essen's profile is shaped by a number of city functions that underline the significance of the city for the Metropole Ruhr, the third largest conurbation in Europe. Essen is at the heart of the region and the base for many associations and institutions of the region.

In addition to these functional aspects, Essen's profile is also formed by characteristic industry expertise. It is not only big business that gives Essen its flavour as a corporate location, though: the traditionally good business climate is made up of a healthy mix of conglomerates, small and medium-sized enterprises and craft industries.