Rustam Minnikhanov meets representatives of business circles of North Rhine - Westphalia

On October 19, speaking at a meeting with representatives of business circles of North Rhine-Westphalia during the International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber “K-2016” in Düsseldorf, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said: “We are pleased to get acquainted with the advanced German technologies. We are ready to share our practices and open to discuss possibilities for mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Minnikhanov said that the Tatarstan delegation arrived in Germany to participate in the K-2016 Trade Fair, which gathers leading representatives of petrochemical industry and related sectors every year.

He continued that Tatarstan is interested in expanding contacts and is ready to provide support to German business that comes to Tatarstan with their technologies, capital and innovation projects. He reminded that the region has gained rich experience in cooperation with Germany.

Minnikhanov said that Tatarstan-German trade turnover is balanced and exceeded 1 billion euro last year, with the import ratio of cars and equipment from Germany making about 22 per cent.

Five years ago we launched the Mercedes-Benz Trucks Vostok production line at the Kamaz Automaker and strategic cooperation with the Daimler Auto Giant is a good example for German companies which are entering the Russian market, Minnikhanov continued.

There are over 80 German-funded enterprises in Tatarstan. Such companies as "Siemens", "BASF", "Bosch", "Knorr-Bremse", the SAP and others are successfully working in the republic.

Minnikhanov emphasized that Tatarstan cooperates with Germany in the field of science and education and reminded that there is the Russian-German Institute of Advanced Technologies in Kazan.

Making the presentation of the industrial and investment potential of the republic he said that Kama Innovative Territorial Production Cluster "InnoKam” is one of the most important sites of Tatarstan. It is expected that in the next 10 years "InnoKam" will become the main point of economic growth under the Strategy of socio-economic development of Tatarstan till 2030.

We are pleased to expand the cooperation with the business community of North Rhine and look forward to constructive collaboration, he said.

He also expressed confidence that the potential of the regions is great and Tatarstan is open for cooperation.