Focus industries

In addition to the strongly export-oriented sectors of the automotive industry and production technology, the healthcare industry, logistics, financial services, knowledge-based services and IT/communications as well as the skilled trades are of great importance for the labor market in the Hannover Region.

Last but not least, science and research, the creative industries as well as trade fairs and congresses shape the Hannover Region's reputation and image.

Automotive

• 25,800 SvB* in the entire value chain (4.8 % of SvB) in 60 companies
• Together with Braunschweig and Wolfsburg, the Hanover region is one of the most important international centers of the automotive industry
• Major companies: VW Commercial Vehicles, Continental AG, ZF Wabco and Clarios as well as numerous suppliers
• Focus areas: Commercial vehicles, tires, drive systems, special parts, brake systems, battery technology, vehicle information systems
• Research and educational institutions: 30 institutes and universities related to the automotive industry
• ITS Automotive as a cross-thematic mobility cluster for joint research projects
• Transformation Network Automotive NEU/WAGEN Hanover/Hildesheim
• Leading trade fair: Mobilitec as part of HANNOVER MESSE

Energy industry

• 5,300 SvB* (1.0 % of SvB) in 80 companies
• Major companies: enercity and E.ON as large energy suppliers, as well as companies in the development and implementation of new technologies (e.g. JA-Gastechnologie, CHP manufacturer A-Tron, energiewerkstatt or Kraftwerk, Windwärts Energie, GeoNet-Umweltconsulting)
• Research and educational institutions: 20 institutes and university facilities related to the energy industry, including in the field of wind energy
• Networks: Leibniz Research Center Energy 2050, ForWind (Wind Energy Research Network), Climate Protection Agency Hannover Region, KEAN, or the Geozentrum Hannover
• The world's first wind energy plant based on a timber construction and the first biogas plant in northern Germany that enables biogas to be fed into the natural gas grid
• Leading trade fair: EnergyDecentral and Energy and Wind as part of HANNOVER MESSE

Information and communication industry

• 25,400 SvB* (4.7 % of SvB) in 1,070 companies
• Major companies: Finanz Informatik, TUI InfoTec, htp, Sennheiser, Madsack, NDR and others.
• Diversified industry structure with a specialization in IT services
• Research and educational institutions: 25 institutes and university institutions related to the information and communications industry, including L3S and the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Hannover
• Networks: Digitales Hannover e.V., niedersachsen.digital e.V.

Healthcare industry

• 80,300 SvB* (14.9 % of SvB) in 3,440 companies
• Strong university and non-university research and education: Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine (TiHo), Life Science at Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover Clinical Trial Center, Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), Lower Saxony Center for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Clinical Research Center (CRC), Twincore Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research
• Major hospital location and important companies such as Abbott Arzneimittel, MSD Burgwedel Biotech, KIND Hörgeräte
• Medical Park Hannover as a central business and research location with a focus on biomedical technology, transplantation, implants, regenerative medicine, diagnostics, preclinical and clinical research and training
• Network: Gesundheitswirtschaft Hannover e.V.
• Leading trade fairs: Geriatric Care and Biotechnica / Labvolution

Creative industries

• 16,100 SvB* (3.0 % of SvB) in 1,640 companies
• Focus on the music industry: University of Music, Drama and Media, major players such as NDR Radiophilharmonie, Peppermint Park and Sennheiser
• Numerous projects and events as part of the UNESCO City of Music
• Start-up centers: HALLE 96 with office space, workshops and shared infrastructure; coworking space and maker space "Hafven"
• Network: kre|H|tiv Netzwerk e.V. is the fastest growing and largest industry network of its kind in Germany

Production technology

• 12,300 SvB* (2.3 % of SvB) in 420 companies
• Strong university and non-university research and education: Hannover Production Technology Center (PZH), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Leibniz Universität Hannover, Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• Cooperation with TEWISS, the Institute for Integrated Production Hannover (IPH), the Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) and the German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK), Hannover Center for Optical Technologies (HOT), PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence
• Roboticscity Hannover, Robot Factory of Leibniz Universität Hannover, robokind Foundation, Robotation Academy as a training and event center for robotics and automation technology
• Headquarters of the federal government's SME 4.0 competence center for Lower Saxony and Bremen "Mit uns digital"
• Network: Production Technology Hannover informs (PHI)
• Leading trade fairs: HANNOVER MESSE, EuroBLECH, AGRITECHNICA, EMO and LIGNA

Logistics industry

• 63,300 SvB* (11.7 % of SvB) in 2,450 companies (sectoral approach)
• Major companies: Amazon, arvato, Dachser, DB Schenker, DHL, DPD, DSV, FedEx, Fiege, Geodis, GLS, Hellmann, Hermes, Kühne+Nagel, UPS, etc.
• Focus areas: Industrial logistics, retail logistics, e-commerce, courier, express and parcel services (CEP), contract logistics, after-sales/value-added services
• European and national distribution centers of Bahlsen, Connox, Continental AG, Delticom, KraussMaffei Extrusion, Lyreco, Mercedes-Benz, Reemtsma, Sennheiser, Sonepar, VW Commercial Vehicles, Weatherford Oil Tool, ZF Wabco, and others.
• Logistics-related research institutes: Institute for Transport and Automation Technology, Institute for Integrated Production, Institute for Factory Systems and Logistics, Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• Networks: Logistikportal Niedersachsen e.V., Roundtable Personallogistik der Region Hannover,
• Working Group Freight Villages Lower Saxony/Bremen (ARGE GVZ), ERFA Track Siding

Financial services

• 25,200 SvB* (4.7 % of SvB) in 840 companies
• Head offices of major national insurance companies (e.g. Concordia Insurance Group, Hannover Re Group, Mecklenburgische Insurance Group, Talanx AG, Swiss Life, Vereinigte Hannoversche Versicherung (VHV), Versicherungsgruppe Hannover (VGH), Wertgarantie Technische Versicherung)
• Headquarters of Nord/LB, the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover (BÖAG Börsen AG) and one of the largest savings banks in Germany
• Central training and further education institutions: Sparkassenakademie, Berufsakademie für Bankwirtschaft, Bildungswerk der Versicherungswirtschaft, Interdisziplinäres Kompetenzzentrum Versicherungswissenschaften

Trade fairs and congresses

• 1,200 SvB* (0.2 % of SvB) in 50 companies
• One of the world's largest exhibition centers and headquarters of Deutsche Messe AG
• Location of leading international trade fairs such as HANNOVER MESSE, AGRITECHNICA, EMO, Biotechnica / Labvolution
• Large number of congresses and conferences with nationwide attention
• Congress and conference facilities such as the Convention Center, Hannover Congress Centrum, Herrenhausen Palace

Knowledge-based business-related services

• 40,300 SvB* and 2,860 companies (7.5 % of SvB) in legal, tax and management consultancy, architecture and engineering firms as well as advertising and market research
• Major companies: Branches of consulting firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG AG
• Establishment of a technology center at LUH's mechanical engineering campus offers further potential for knowledge and technology transfer in the future, especially for companies from the engineering sector

Craft

• 54,400 SvB* (10.2 % of SvB) in 6,250 companies
• Main sectors: Construction and finishing trades, health/personal care/cleaning and metal trades
• Important innovation impulses that are also used in other economic sectors, e.g. in the energy sector
• Every fifth apprentice in the Hannover Region completes their apprenticeship in the skilled trades
• Research and service facilities: Heinz Piest Institute (HPI) for Craft Technology
• Training and further education: Support and training center of the Hanover Chamber of Crafts (Campus Handwerk Garbsen)

Science and research

• 9,000 SvB* (1.7 % of SvB) in 130 companies
• Influenced by the fields of medicine (Hannover Medical School, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Leibniz University Hannover, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Medical Park) and engineering sciences
• Above-average start-up intensity
• Above-average proportion of third-party funded positions, especially in the fields of medicine and engineering
• Strong cooperation between science and industry

Sources : Employment statistics from the Federal Employment Agency, cut-off date 30.06.2023 (data as of 02/2024); 2022 craft census

* SvB: Employees subject to social insurance contributions

Status: 10/2024