Local Information on
the City of Kaufbeuren
in the Allgäu region
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Geographic location
The former Free Imperial City of Kaufbeuren is located in heart of the Bavarian alpine
upland. For Munich and Augsburg, the city represents the Gate to the Allgäu. With its 44,000
inhabitants, the city of Kaufbeuren is an autonomous administrative district and constitutes
the economic and cultural centre of a region exceeding 150,000 inhabitants. Kaufbeuren is
located in one of the most sunniest regions of Germany and in the Greater Munich Area GMA- and also the European Metropolitan Region of Munich -EMM-.
.
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Traffic connections
Kaufbeuren is located at the federal roads B12 and B16. These roads serve as connection to
the highways A 7 and A 96. The three-lane (so-called 2+1) expansion of the B 12 is
scheduled to begin from the A 96 junction in 2007. It is planned to connect Kaufbeuren to the
highway network by a four-lane road within the framework of the continuation of the
German Federal Transport Plan 2010/2012. Bridge construction projects will, for instance, be
suited to this planning with regard to the future already in the course of the expansion that is
now about to begin.
The International Airport Munich, located at a distance of about 100 km, can be reached by
car within approximately one hour via the B 12, A 96, A 99 and the A 92. It will take you
about 40 minutes to reach the Allgäu Airport in Memmingen via the B 16 and the A 96. In
addition, the International Airport Stuttgart (180 km – 1 h 45 min), as well as the Airports at
Augsburg (70 km – 1 h) and Friedrichshafen (130 km – 1 h 30 min) are also relevant for
Kaufbeuren.
As far as the train service is concerned, the regular service between Allgäu and Swabia offers
a close interlink with the national rail traffic and allows for passengers to reach the centre of
Augsburg and Munich every half an hour after a journey between 45 and 60 minutes.
www.kaufbeuren.de
Regional structural data:
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Population
City of Kaufbeuren
District of Ostallgäu
1995
42,748
127,068
2001
42,246
132,389
2003
42,581
133,782
2005
42,183
134,766
Source: City of Kaufbeuren, District of Ostallgäu, Bavarian State Office for Statistics and Data Processing
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Population development
1995 – 2005
- 1.2 %
+ 6.1 %
City of Kaufbeuren
District of Ostallgäu
Source: City of Kaufbeuren, District of Ostallgäu, Bavarian State Office for Statistics and Data Processing
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Commuter movement
City of Kaufbeuren
In-commuters
2006
10,514
Out-commuters
2006
11,565
Source: Federal Employment Agency dated September 17, 2007
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Employed persons paying national insurance contributions
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
City of
14,988
15,005
14,887
14,565
14,322
14,263
Kaufbeuren
District of
No
No
No
No
36,217
No
Ostallgäu
information information information information
information
available
available
available
available
available
Source: Bavarian State Office for Statistics and Data Processing
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Unemployment rate in regard to all employable persons
2001
6.0
City of Kaufbeuren
2002
7.2
2003
8.8
2004
9.3
2005
9.9
2006
9.2
2003
1,930
2004
2,057
2005
2,206
06/2007
6.7
Source: Federal Employment Agency
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Availability of work force
City of
Kaufbeuren
Employment
Agency of
Kempten
Main District
Allgäu
2000
1,297
2001
1,285
2002
1,575
No
information
available
No
information
available
No
information
available
2006
2,042
14,298 14,608 15,694 13,419
Source: Federal Employment Agency
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Gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices (in million €)
City of Kaufbeuren
District of Ostallgäu
1990
990
1,910
1995
1,130
2,269
2002
1,178
2,884
2003
1,186
3,108
Source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia
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Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005
City of Kaufbeuren
District of Ostallgäu
per inhabitant
28,307 €
24,825 €
per employed
51,435 €
57,663 €
Source: Bavarian State Office for Statistics and Data Processing
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Retail-relevant purchasing power at the business location Kaufbeuren in 2005
available purchasing power
City of Kaufbeuren
Market area Kaufbeuren
229.4 million €
462.4 million €
committed purchasing
power
201 million €
112.8 million €
Source: Office for Location, Market and Regional Analysis, Dr. Manfred Heider, Augsburg
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Total income per employed subject to wage and income tax
2001
30,650 €
31,631 €
City of Kaufbeuren
District of Ostallgäu
Source: Bavarian State Office for Statistics and Data Processing
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Rates of assessment in 2007
City of Kaufbeuren
Average of all
municipalities in 2005
ƒ in Germany
ƒ in Bavaria
Real property tax A
Real property tax B
Trade tax
250
385
330
Trade tax
Trade tax
389
372
Source: City of Kaufbeuren, German Association of Cities and Towns
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Major companies and institutions at the location of Kaufbeuren
Major companies
Branch/activity
Internet
Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren AG
Brewery and producer of beverages
www.aktien-brauerei.de
Bodycote Surface
Aluminium and synthetic material surface
treatments
Costume jewellery and technical products
with all kinds of surface treatment within the
association of companies
Provider of full construction services
including development, planning,
construction and operation of real estate and
infrastructure
Private founder and technology centre
www.bodycote.de
www.kontron.com
Mtk Mouldtec Kunststoff GmbH
Development and production of software and
hardware
Development and production of plastic
products with treated surfaces
Thermal treatment in protective gas-conveyor
belt-discharge facilities, assembly of soldered
parts, final inspection of components
Plastics industry, technical supplier
Schleifring u. Apparatebau
GmbH
Hans Schmied GmbH
Development and production of grinding
circles for data and energy transmission
Precision in pressing and bending technology
www.schleifring.com
Schuster HQP
Machine construction and tool making
www.schuster-hqp.de
Seba-Hydrometrie GmbH
Manufacturer of hydrometric measuring
equipment
Development and production of control,
measuring and regulation equipment
www.seba.de
Bundesverband Gablonzer
Industrie -BGIJ. Dobler GmbH & Co. KG
INNOVA Allgäu Hightech-Park
Kontron Modular Computers
GmbH
Kunststofftechnik Bernt GmbH
Löttechnik Burkhard GmbH &
Co. KG
Sensortechnik Wiedemann
GmbH
www.gablonzer-industrie.de
www.dobler.de
www.innova-net.de
www.ktbernt.de
www.loettechnik-burkhard.de
www.mouldtec.de
www.hans-schmied.de
www.sensor-technik.de
Source: City of Kaufbeuren
www.kaufbeuren.de
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History of the City of Kaufbeuren
The establishment of a Franconian king’s court around the year 749 AD constituted the
starting point for the settlement of the city. This king’s court united all central functions for
the imperial estate district that surrounded the court and represented a rear staging area for the
near military border of the Lech with the Dukedom of Bavaria. In the course of the expansion
of the country, that coincided with the Christianisation under the Carolingians, the settlement
quickly began to flourish and the king’s court was integrated in the network of Franconian
administration.
Towards the end of the 11th century, it became the seat of the noble family, of the Lords of
Beuren, who were liegemen of the Guelph. After the Nobelemen of Beuren have become
extinct and after the death of Duke Guelph VI. in 1191, Kaufbeuren became a city of the
Staufen, who intensely started to care for the expansion and development of the city as of that
point. In 1286, the city was confirmed its status of Free Imperial City by King Rudolph of
Habsburg.
The following continuous economic upswing was eased off in the 16th century, the century of
the Peasant Wars and of the reformation. Just 100 years later, the Thirty Years’ War destroyed
Kaufbeuren almost completely as a result of the sieges, occupations, sackings and lootings.
Kaufbeuren slowly recovered, even if until the 18th century, the quarrels between the
confessions seemed to be unending. A second peak of the weaving trade in this period was
ended by the French revolution wars and the industrial revolution. In 1802, Kaufbeuren was a
city of the Electorate of Bavaria and was allowed to describe itself as a royal Bavarian city as
of 1806.
In the decades following the war, Kaufbeuren rose to be now the third-biggest City of Swabia
counting approximately 44,000 inhabitants today.
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The business location of Kaufbeuren
The city of Kaufbeuren offers companies the best preconditions and an agreeable sphere for
employees. The intact environment, the attractive surroundings, as well as the relaxed social
fabric represent important location factors. Kaufbeuren also offers an extensive and varied
cultural life. Particularly the people from over 90 nations living in Kaufbeuren are adding to
that. They also brought an enormous language potential with them to Kaufbeuren.
The expansion of a future- and use-oriented infrastructure is one of the aspects of the
promotion of trade and industry in Kaufbeuren. The necessity for an expansion of the federal
road B 12 has clearly been articulated in the course of an survey carried out among local
entrepreneurs last year. Still in the same year, it proved possible to start with the three-lane
(so-called 2+1) expansion of the B 12 as of the highway junction A 96 / Buchloe in 2007. Our
aim is to have Kaufbeuren connected to the highway network by four lanes within the
framework of the German Federal Transport Plan 2010/2012. Bridge construction projects
will, for instance, be suited to this planning with regard to the future already in the course of
the expansion that is now about to begin.
www.kaufbeuren.de
The decision on a business location is also influences by the qualification and training
possibilities of future employees. Next to the Volksschule, Realschule and Gymnasium,
Kaufbeuren offers a variety of further vocational schools, such as Fachoberschule,
Berufsfachschule, a Berufsschule emphasizing on economy and technology and the GTB
Kaufbeuren (Educational institution under the umbrella of the Chamber of Industry and
Commerce offering commercial and technical training). Kaufbeuren supports the local
economy with the offer of qualified further education and in the course of the search for new
employees by means of a good cooperation with the local Federal Employment Agency.
Particularly after the restructuring of the Gablonz Industries, the closing down of the Digital
branch and the closing of the spinning and weaving mill Momm, a large number of welltrained employees commutes every day to the Greater Munich – Augsburg area. The
following commuter statistics will furnish prove for this development. These employees
would be pleased to accept a job in town. The main qualification of these people is the field
of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer-based procedures, such as
CAD, SPS or communication technologies. The world-famous GABLONZ INDUSTRY from
the Sudetenland settled in Gablonz, a part of the City of Kaufbeuren, after the War and had
soon re-established its reputation as leading glass, metal and jewellery industry anew. In the
course of many successful years, the medium-sized companies in Neugablonz trained up a
large potential of highly-qualified technical and skilled employees.
It is an integral part of the model of the City Administration of Kaufbeuren, to support the
settlement resp. Expansion of companies by dealing with the necessary approval procedures
extremely quick. 90 % of the approval procedures for trade buildings are completed within
15 days after presentation of the complete documents. The commencement of production
within 6 months after making the business location choice is an objective we have already
realized.
The entrepreneur is presented one partner in charge with the coordination of the entire
procedure. Kaufbeuren’s status of an autonomous city proved to be an advantage in this
context. It allows to offer the complete approval procedures, as well as the complete supply
and disposal from one hand. The city is thus, for instance, holds the majority of interest in
the regional energy supplied, the Vereinigten Wertach Elektrizitätswerken -VWEW-. The
favourable terms for our customers naturally represent our highest objective. This is also
applicable to all charges and taxes matters of the City of Kaufbeuren. The trade tax levy rate
has been left unchanged at 330 points in the course of the last years. Taking the size of the
Kaufbeuren into consideration, this means the rate is far below the country average and
therefore a very favourable value for companies. It proved possible to lower the sewage and
waste disposal charges in the last years considerably.
www.kaufbeuren.de
A further component for the future development of Kaufbeuren was laid with the
establishment of the Entwicklungszentrums für Mikrotechnik (Development Centre for
Microtechnolgy) in the INNOVA Allgäu Hightech Park. This project running under the
company name „pro-micron GmbH & Co. KG modular systems“ is also directly financed by
the city and by the region within the framework of the Hightech Offensive for the Future of
Bavaria. The city of Kaufbeuren will thus firmly establish this future technologies in the
Allgäu region and develop the entire region into a micro-technological region of competence.
The expansion of this institution to one of six nationwide application centres for
microsystem technology is a current milestone.
Together with the branch of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia located on the
premises, the INNOVA Allgäu Hightech Park offers all the advantages of a managed business
location within the framework of a properly thought-out operation and area concept. The
more than 40 companies located there can thus fully concentrate on their core business. This
first private Bavarian Foundation Park represents the nucleus of a founding and patent rate in
Kaufbeuren, that exceeds the average.
These economic factors are completed by a series of further soft location factors. The cost of
living, for instance, is comparatively very favourable in Kaufbeuren. This applies particularly
to the low rent and real estate prices. The building of own homes for families with children
already living here, but also especially for families now moving to Kaufbeuren is promoted by
us with remarkable „Kaufbeurer Eigenheimzulage“. The institutions offering the care for
children and schools, as well as the medical care demonstrate a very high standard. Full care
with kindergarten places and the meeting of the demand for day-nursery places have already
been achieved. According to the information of the Prognos Family Atlas, the reconcilability
of family and occupation in the area of the City of Kaufbeuren has been attached a
particularly good value. In addition, the city demonstrates according to the annual statistics of
the State Bureau of Criminal Investigation a constant extremely low number of criminal
offences per inhabitant compared to 25 autonomous cities. The fact that according to a survey
of the Impulse magazine among tax consultants, the Tax Office of Kaufbeuren demonstrates
the lowest conflict potential within Bavaria (nationwide: 4. rank) further rounds off the
picture.
The City of Kaufbeuren thus unites an extremely business-friendly attitude of municipal
politics and administration with the quality of life in the Allgäu region and the business
location advantages resulting from the location within the Greater Munich Area –GMAand also the European Metropolitan Region of Munich -EMM-.
www.kaufbeuren.de
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Your contact for the promotion of trade and industry:
Mr. Siegfried Knaak
Business and Finance Office
Kaiser-Max-Strasse 1
D-87600 Kaufbeuren
Phone: +49 (0) 8341/437-200
Fax: +49 (0) 8341/437-664
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Peter Igel
Promotion of Trade and Industry, Marketing
Kaiser-Max-Strasse 1
D-87600 Kaufbeuren
Phone: +49 (0) 8341/437-104
Fax: +49 (0) 8341/437-664
Email: [email protected]
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Further information under:
www.kaufbeuren.de / wirtschaft
www.familienziel.de
www.kaufbeuren.de