TECH.LAND at the 13th NRW Foreign Trade Day
Nearly 1,000 guests gathered at Borussia Park in Mönchengladbach — not for a football match, but for a different kind of high-stakes game: the 13th NRW Foreign Trade Day (Außenwirtschaftstag NRW), the state’s largest conference for internationally active companies. This year’s edition brought global markets, international trade, and strategic cooperation into focus, and TECH.LAND was proud to be part of it.
Global Dialogue at Home
Hosted by IHK NRW and the Chambers of Industry and Commerce across North Rhine-Westphalia, the event welcomed experts and high-level speakers from around the world. Opening remarks came from NRW’s Minister for Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur, Dutch Consul General Hannah Tijmes, and IHK President Elmar te Neues.
Throughout the day, participants gained insights from leading voices including:
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Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, German Ambassador to Russia
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Dr. Josef Braml, U.S. policy expert and bestselling author
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Marika Linntam, Estonian Ambassador to Germany
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Dr. Felix Brych, renowned international football referee
Panels That Matter
Attendees engaged in a variety of practice-oriented panel discussions covering critical topics such as:
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Export control and compliance
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Supply chain efficiency and sustainability
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Doing business in ASEAN, India, and the Gulf States
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Strategic internationalization in times of geopolitical uncertainty
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Cross-border cooperation with the Netherlands, NRW’s most important trading partner
One highlight was the German-Dutch cooperation exchange, enabling participants to forge new cross-border business relationships.
TECH.LAND: Showcasing Innovation
TECH.LAND was on the move — presenting our key focus areas and showing how we drive forward innovation across borders. Together with outstanding partners from industry and government, and with the Netherlands as this year’s partner country, we proudly highlighted:
As Hannah Tijmes rightly said: “We are very good neighbors!” — and that’s especially true when it comes to hydrogen. North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands are working closely on a cross-border hydrogen infrastructure, strengthening not only our energy networks but also our shared economic future.
Looking Ahead
The 13th edition of NRW Foreign Trade Day may be over, but the connections and momentum it sparked will last far longer. Thank you to IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein and IHK NRW e.V. for the outstanding organization — we’re already looking forward to #AWT14!