ERFURT_The USA has been Thuringia's most important export market for years, with over ten percent of Thuringia's total exports recently finding buyers there. At the same time, US companies with their commitment in Thuringia are among the most important foreign investors in the region. Since this month, the Free State is now also represented in the USA: LEG recently opened a foreign office in Chicago. This is a result of the delegation trip to the United States led by Minister President Mario Voigt in May of this year. The representative office will both establish and deepen connections for Thuringian companies in the USA and attract US investors to the business location of Thuringia. In a tendering process, the experienced consulting firm Lotus FDI, which is represented in five countries in North America and Europe, prevailed among several applicants. Specifically, Shannon Lynch (Founder & Managing Partner, LotusFDI) and Daniel Feldkamp (Vice President, Market Entry, LotusFDI) are now active in the representative office as foreign representatives for LEG.
"The USA are our most important export market – the foreign office in Chicago is intended to help further expand our presence," said Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Colette Boos-John. The focus is primarily on Thuringia's medium-sized economy, which can receive support in market development, as well as in necessary certification and approval processes, for example in plant engineering or the pharmaceutical sector. Conversely, the state government also aims to specifically address investors for Thuringia. "Our Thuringia representation is the central investment guide for US companies that can imagine an economic commitment in the middle of Germany and Europe," said the minister.
Based in the Chicago metropolitan region, Shannon Lynch has more than ten years of experience in international investment promotion, global training programs, and human and competency development. She has advised regional and national economic development organizations in North America and Europe, successfully implementing strategies for investor outreach, partnership development, and strengthening regional competitiveness. Shannon Lynch will primarily focus on attracting US investors to Thuringia.
Also based in the Chicago metropolitan region, Daniel Feldkamp has more than fifteen years of experience in transatlantic business development, technology transfer, and strategies for advanced manufacturing. He supports European SMEs and regional economic development agencies in site selection, partner identification, and successful expansion in the U.S. market – in the future, he will also do this specifically for Thuringian companies.
"We are very pleased to represent Thuringia in the Midwest and on the East Coast of the United States, thereby supporting the Free State's dual mission: attracting new investments to Thuringia and accompanying Thuringian companies in building and growing in the US market,“ say the two foreign representatives. "Thuringia's strengths in the areas of high technology, pharmaceutical and medical technology, applied research, mobility, and modern manufacturing are an excellent fit with the current economic policy priorities of the USA. These fields are at the center of national efforts to strengthen innovation capacity and resilient supply chains. Our goal is to present these competencies to American investors while simultaneously building a practical bridge for Thuringian companies to their first partners, customers, and distribution channels in the USA.“
LEG now operates eight international offices worldwide, including in the USA, China, Vietnam, India, Israel, Central Asia, Brazil, and southern Africa.
“Especially in the currently very volatile global market situation, our representative offices create direct connections to key markets for the Thuringian economy,” says LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey. “All of our international representatives also provide us with directly usable market information, which we can use as a basis for our international activities. We are pleased to now be competently represented in the USA by Shannon Lynch and Daniel Feldkamp.”
