Amsterdam Area 2004

Best for business1|AMSTERDAM AREA | FOR DECISION MAKERS IN SEARCH OF A EUROPEAN LOCATION

A M ST E RD A MA R E A

2|AMSTERDAM AREA THE HUB AT THE HEART OF EUROPE

Heart of Europe

Luxembourg

Berlin

Oslo

Paris

Bern

Prague

sbonMadrid

Warsaw

Vilnius

Riga

Min

A t l an t i cOcean

M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a

Nor th Sea

Stockholm

Tallinn

Copenhagen

Dublin

LondonAMSTERDAM AREA

Brussels

Skop

Sarajevo

BelgradeLjubljana Zagreb

Rome

Tirana

Athen

ViennaBratislava

Budapest

FAVOURABLE TAX CLIMATE

51% MARKET SHARE EU LOGISTICS

2 UNIVERSITIES

206 VAN GOGHS

173 NATIONALITIES

AMSTERDAM INTERNET EXCHANGE, LARGEST ON THE CONTINENT

20 MILLION CUT FLOWERS AND POT PLANTS AUCTIONED EVERY DAY

NEW MEDIA CLUSTER

20% OF WORLD’S COCOA PASSES THROUGH

58 FOREIGN BANKS

DUTCH CENTRAL BANK

91% SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

STABLE ECONOMY

CONFERENCE + CONGRESS CITY


3|AMSTERDAM AREA | HEART OF EUROPE

TRADING TRADITION (page 4)

IT INFRASTRUCTURE (page 6)

CONNECTED TO THE WORLD (pages 8-9)FINANCIAL CITY (page 10)

LOGISTICS HUB (page 12)

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION (pages 14-15)WIRED WORKFORCE (page 16)

KNOWLEDGE NETWORK (page 18)

EXTRA AMSTERDAM ADVANTAGES (pages 24-25)

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE (page 20)

GROWTH SCENARIO (page 22)

CONTACT US (pages 26-27)

PORTS OF AMSTERDAM - 5TH IN NW EUROPE

The Amsterdam Area is a thriving hub for business andindustry. It is strategically positioned with exemplary air,road, water, rail and cable connections to the rest ofEurope. It is a home base for cross-border business. It hasa global culture, and a dynamic economy that reaches outto the world. Diversity has been the mark of the area’strading history through the centuries. It is one compactregion but has many faces. It has been called the originalglobal village. The foreigners who live and work here –around 48 percent of the population originates fromelsewhere – are its most convincing ambassadors.

3 ACADEMIC HOSPITALS

35% OF POPULATION COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY EDUCATED

400-YEAR-OLD STOCK EXCHANGE

WORLD PRESS PHOTO

GATEWAY TO ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN MARKETS

COMPETITIVE RENTAL COSTS

250 EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS

SCHIPHOL AIRPORT - 4TH IN EUROPE

REGULARLY VOTED NO 1 IN BUSINESS SURVEYS

LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER

WORLD-CLASS MUSEUMS + CONCERT HALLS

CREATIVE ENERGY

4|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE THE ORIGINAL GATEWAY TO EUROPE

Trading traditionWith a 700-year trading tradition, the Port of Amsterdam is oneof Northwest Europe’s top five ports today. It handled 65 milliontonnes of cargo in 2003.

5|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE

“The Netherlands is expected to be the best place in Europeto conduct business during thenext five years.”

BEST PLACES TO DO BUSINESS WORLDWIDERanking 1999-2003 2004-2008 Up/downCanada 3 1 +2Netherlands 2 2 0Finland 8 3 +5UK 4 4 0US 1 5 – 4Denmark 10 6 4Singapore 6 7 – 1Switzerland 7 8 – 1Hong Kong 5 9 – 4Ireland 9 10 – 1Sweden 12 11 +1New Zealand 11 12 – 1Source: Economist Intelligence Unit 2003

Paulo Bello CargillTrading Manager

“The Netherlands, in particular Amsterdam, is well-placed as a centralhub on the European map. The country is one of the best locations in Europefor international business and its capital is home to one of Cargill’s keytrading and processing centres. The region is also the traditional heart of thecocoa industry, in which Cargill is one of the major global players.

The Amsterdam region offers excellent port facilities, linked to anextensive road and rail infrastructure, which combine to make trading easy.Amsterdam Airport Schiphol connects the area to key European andinternational business centres - essential as many of Cargill’s staff need totravel all over the world.

In my view, Amsterdam is one of the most international cities in Europe.This has a lot to do with the fact that the Dutch are so open to other cultures,which stems, in part, from their long trading history. Many Dutch peoplespeak more than one language and most are fluent in English. This isincredibly important for us, as we can have up to five different nationalitiesworking on our cocoa-trading desk alone - and English is the internationallanguage which helps them communicate with each other and ourcustomers.

On a personal note, my home just outside Amsterdam gives me access toa wide range of cultural activities in the city - and my children both loveAmsterdam zoo. At the same time, we live in very peaceful ruralsurroundings, with nature reserves and the countryside close by. It’s theperfect combination.

”Established in 1959 as a commodity trading business, Cargill’s Dutch unitis now one of the company’s largest European operations. The group isengaged in the production of food ingredients and the processing,distribution and trading of a wide range of agricultural products.

The countryside begins immediately.Small historic towns and unspoiltfarming villages, set in a landscape offields and waterways, are less than a20-minute drive from the city centre.

6|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE EUROPE’S MOST CONNECTED CITY

IT infrastructureGlobal Switch, the world’s leading carrier-neutralcolocation provider, is one of the four sites of theAmsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), thelargest exchange on mainland Europe.


Prizewinning designer pharmacy by Concrete Architectural Associates

Andreas Sautter OfotoVice President Ofoto Europe

“We were looking for a single place to establish our Europeanheadquarters and marketing organisation. As a fast-growing company weneeded a launch pad from which we could get off the ground quickly. Fasttime-to-market was essential. We looked for a place where we could conductoperations and distribution, and that had a good customer serviceinfrastructure. To ensure flawless hosting of our web-services - online sharingand printing of photographs - we also needed great IT infrastructure andconnectivity.We found all this in Amsterdam. The unique quality of the city is that it offersthis rare combination and is very cost-effective at the same time. The multilingual and multicultural workforce is another important asset, aswe service the whole European market from Amsterdam. Everybody in myoffice speaks three or four languages. Amsterdam is a very attractive city. It is centrally located, features a greatpublic transportation network and has a relaxed yet productive environment.Since our company’s motto is ‘work hard, play hard’, this suits us very well.Amsterdam is also a great place to live, with world-class museums andexceptionally good restaurants. It is a particularly child-friendly city withmany green spaces and playgrounds, and it’s easy to get around, preferablyby bicycle. The Noordermarkt, where you can get fresh organic farmproducts, is a real treat. There is a strong focus on design in the city, and Ireally enjoy the fact that my local pharmacy, designed by ConcreteArchitectural Associates, is featured in architecture magazines all over theworld!

”Ofoto is Kodak’s online digital photo developing service. It providesconsumers with a secure and easy way to store and share their pictures withfriends and family and get real Kodak prints of their pictures. The servicealso provides free editing and creative tools. Ofoto operates four sitesacross Europe: ofoto.co.uk, ofoto.de, ofoto.fr, and ofoto.eu.com.

E-READINESS RANKINGSRankingSweden 1Denmark 2Netherlands 3 (tie)UK 3 (tie)US 3 (tie)Finland 6Norway 7 (tie)Switzerland 7 (tie)Australia 9Canada 10

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit 2003

8|AMSTERDAM AREA | BUSINESS PASSENGERS’ FAVOURITE AIRPORT

Connected to the world

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has been voted Europe’s best business airport no less than 20 times by the readers of Business Traveller magazine. It has wonover 100 international prizes for its famously excellent levels of service, and ranks fourth in Europe in terms of cargo and passenger traffic. More than 200direct connections to 82 countries, it is just 15 minutes by train from the city centre. It is also a major business location. The Amsterdam Airport Area ishome to over 1,100 international companies.

9|AMSTERDAM AREA | ARRIVALS + DEPARTURES

10|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE HOME OF THE WORLD’S FIRST STOCK EXCHANGE

Financial cityThe Euro currency was conceived inMaastricht in 1991. The Netherlands wasone of 12 EU countries to adopt the Euro onJanuary 1st, 2002.


MAGNET FOR EUROPE’S FINANCIAL COMMUNITYTransactions value - top 5 European Cash Markets*

160140120100

80604020

0

* By average monthly trading volume in domestic and foreign equities in 2003Source: FESE and Euronext

EURONEXT

LONDON ST

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DEUTSC

HE BORSE

VIRT-X

BORSA ITA

LIANA

David O’Sullivan Reuters BusinessDirector Service Centre

“We established our Shared Financial Service Centre in October 2001.Since we service 14 countries in Europe, we looked for a place where wecould find employees who are used to dealing with different cultures. Today,we employ people from no less than 22 different ethnic and culturalbackgrounds. It’s hard to find another place that offers such diverse andgenerally high educated people.

Around 40 percent of our employees come from abroad. Fortunately,Amsterdam is a very attractive city, not only for the ‘young, free and single’,but for families as well. We therefore have no problem getting our staff tomove here. And they generally enjoy their stay here very much.

Something that we value highly about Amsterdam is the accessibility. Weare 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport, right next door to the railway stationand literally on the ringway.Commuting costs me no more than fifteen minutes per day, which means Iget to spend more time with my family. We love to take our three years olddaughter to restaurants or to the Vondelpark, and enjoy the fact that it’s safeto do so. I’m planning to get my own boat soon and to take it out sailing onthe IJsselmeer. That must be a wonderful way to spend a weekend!

”Reuters is a global information company providing information tailored forprofessionals in the financial services, media and corporate markets. Morethan 90% of its revenue derives from its financial services business.Reuters’ information is trusted and drives decision making across the globe.The company has a reputation for speed, accuracy and freedom from bias.

At IJburg, on newly-dredged land tothe east of the city, 18,000 newhomes are being built to house 45,000people.

12|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE GATEWAY TO ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN MARKETS

Logistics hubA multi-modal logistics hub, the AmsterdamArea offers excellent possibilities both for in-house logistics and for outsourcing.


EUROPEAN LOGISTICS CENTRESPercentage of distribution activities of the most important countries of Europe

Source: HIDC 2003

�

The Netherlands – 51%

Germany – 11%, Belgium – 18%

100%

50%

0%

France – 8%, UK – 8%Other – 4%

Hideshi Hirai Nikon EuropePresident

“We have been based in the Schiphol area for more than 30 years, sowhen we decided to build the new European HQ for our imaging operations,we knew exactly where we wanted it to be. It had to be near Schiphol andclose to our existing premises. In terms of logistics, it is one of the bestlocations in Europe. Schiphol is a true European hub and the airport is nowexpanding its facilities and the number of flights in order to meet thedemands of clients like Nikon.

Besides this, the fact that everyone can speak English is very importantfor us. It makes life a lot easier, in work and in everyday life. Because a largenumber of our local staff also speaks excellent German means we can alsocommunicate effectively with our German colleagues in Europe.

Even though I spend an enormous amount of time travelling all over theworld, I also enjoy my time in Amsterdam. It’s so international that anyonecan feel at home. It does help, of course, that the city has a Japanese School,a Japanese Chamber of Commerce, and many very good Japaneserestaurants.

”Nikon Europe BV was established in the Netherlands in 1968. The productsof Nikon worldwide include cameras and lenses, binoculars and telescopes,biological and industrial microscopes, measuring, surveying andophthalmic instruments. The new HQ, which also houses a European spareparts centre, is located at Airport Business Park Lijnden.

An estimated 173 nationalities live in

Amsterdam. There are international,

British and Japanese schools, a Korean

Saturday School, an Ecole Française

and local Berlage Lyceum has a

bilingual department.

14|AMSTERDAM AREA | WHO WENT FIRST AN EXTENSIVE CHOICE OF OFFICE SPACE AND DEVELOPMENT PLOTS

Location, location, locationA M ST E RD A MA R E A

15|AMSTERDAM AREA | HUB FOR BUSINESS + INDUSTRY

More than 250 European headquarters, as well as European spare parts, training and shared service centres, global and business unit head offices,Benelux and national headquarters, logistic hubs, international organisations, pan-European and inter-regional call centres, academic and researchinstitutions, international schools, luxury hotels, world-renowned museums and music venues, a major airport and a port, and the largest Internetexchange in mainland Europe are to be found within a 35-km radius which we call the Amsterdam Area. Here is a selection of global brands.

Wired workforceThe capital’s Digital City was the first online communityof its kind in 1994. A year earlier three youngentrepreneurs founded Lost Boys, which has developedinto a leading European new media company.

16|AMSTERDAM AREA AMSTERDAM RISES TWO PLACES IN BEST CITY FOR QUALIFIED STAFF RANKINGS (EUROPEAN CITIES MONITOR 2003)


Lee Feldman Blast RadiusChief Creative Officer

“When Blast Radius started working for clients in Europe, Amsterdamwas on the top of our list. Besides the practical, including the ability to beone hour from all of our clients in Europe, there are many other reasons. The city was built for commerce, and has a deep-rooted sense of networking.For us this means an environment ripe for new business ideas to happen.Amsterdam attracts a vast amount of well-trained creative minds in alldisciplines. There is a sense of experimentation, a willingness to take risks.You notice this in the architecture and in the new ways of communication.The people we hire have this spirit of experimentation ingrained, which helpsus bring new ideas to our clients.

We love the city centre: a profoundly cultural place, strongly connected toits past, yet progressive in its outlook. It offers a lot of positive stimulation.Getting our minds off work in an art gallery, or on a walk along the canalsrejuvenates and inspires us. As an international employer, it is a real benefitto offer this to our North American employees, who come here for a whileand are re-invigorated by this intimate urban experience.It is not enough to simply open another Blast Radius office. We want tocreate a culture uniquely in tune with our environment and with people whoshare the same ideas and values. The Dutch concept of gezelligheid appealsto us: a group of people having a similar idea and enjoying each other’scompany. This is also reflected in the relationships with our Dutch clients.We share a genuine sense of partnership, of friendship, rather than atemporary business connection.

”Blast Radius delivers high-impact solutions for automating marketing,sales, and customer service. Using technology as its tool, the companyhelps industry-leading companies increase customer value and maximizereturn on relationships. With a focus on selected industries and adedicated team of experts working with market-leading technologies, Blast Radius provides accelerated time to return and greatly reducedproject costs. Blast Radius established its European Headquarters inAmsterdam in 2000.

MULTILINGUALITY - NO.1 IN EUROPEPercentage of total population

Netherlands 91%Sweden 82%Belgium 64%Germany 49%France 41%Ireland 28%UK 19%

Source: Ernst & Young 2002

Home to more than half a millionbicycles. The omnipresent cycle pathsand pro-bike culture make the bicyclethe favourite inner-city travel mode ofresidents and visitors alike.

18|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE 2 UNIVERSITIES, 3 ACADEMIC HOSPITALS

Knowledge networkAvantium, founded in 2000 with head officeand research laboratories in the bio-region ofAmsterdam, is an R&D company serving thechemical and pharmaceutical sectors.


BENEFITS OF A BIO REGION

Broad scientific base: 2 universities, 3 academic hospitals (withaccess to (pre) clinical trials, phases I to III). Major research areas inbio-infomatics, oncology, immunology, genomics, cell and medical biology.

Sciencepark Amsterdam: virtual reality lab, high performancecomputing, state-of-the-art communication facilities for data handling,

bio-incubator building. Availability of venture capital. Largenational and international life sciences network.

Tim Kelly Biogen IdecDirector International Operations

“When we first began our operations in Europe we started with a smallteam in Amsterdam. We have now grown into a substantial operationemploying 90 people and we are continuing to grow. Fortunately, planningfor the future is manageable because there is a well-developed infrastructureand a wide variety of office space is available. We are currently making plans to expand operations with a new facility, andwith world-class transport facilities nearby, we intend to stay in the area. Wehave also decided to add our own laboratories and found readily equippedlab space in the Bio Incubator at the Sciencepark Amsterdam. We didn’thave to build one; we could simply move in!The Amsterdam knowledge network of academic hospitals and universities isvery important because it brings highly skilled people into the area.Most people speak English very well and on top of that they often speak oneor two other languages. Another advantage is the fact that many people haveworked for international companies, and since we serve more than 89countries from this location, it’s very convenient to have people who can dealwith different cultures effectively.My family and I really enjoy the quality of life here. In the winter, one of myfavorite activities is to go skating with my children when the canals freezeover, and when there is no natural ice we practice at the Jaap Eden Baan, thelocal ice rink. In summer having the Amsterdamse Bos, one of the manybeautiful green parks, just around the corner is a real luxury.

”Biogen Idec is the third largest biotechnology company, with a diverseproduct portfolio and revenue base, with two blockbuster drugs, and 10products in clinical development. Globally Biogen Idec has more than4,000 employees. Its International Operations Headquarters is based inHoofddorp and serves more than 89 markets worldwide.

By the end of the 17th century, 4,000ships a year traded with 625 ports.Global trade and the harbour’sconnections with the great rivers ofEurope gave Amsterdam its firstgateway status. In the background,Renzo Piano’s showpiece technologycentre.

20|AMSTERDAM AREA FOURTH BEST CITY FOR GOVERNEMENT-CREATED CLIMATE (EUROPEAN CITIES MONITOR 2003)

Investing in the future The International School of Amsterdam is aninspirational academic campus for childrenfrom 3-19 from more than 45 countriestaught by a multinational faculty.


Andrew Lockhart Cisco SystemsVice president Northern Europe

“ Amsterdam and the Netherlands offered clear advantages over otherEuropean locations we investigated. One of the most important factors for uswas the high educational and skill levels of the local workforce. Wages arereasonable. And very important for Cisco, technical knowledge is high.Another factor is language skills - English is practically a second language,with most other European languages well covered.

We were made to feel very welcome in Amsterdam. The city council wasaggressive in a positive sense. They wanted our business, and weappreciated that. The Netherlands has a long tradition of trading andcommerce and that commercial spirit can be seen in the investment in the ITinfrastructure around Amsterdam. The talented people we hire benefit fromthe quality work and play environment.

The Dutch are open to innovation. The success of our academy inAmsterdam says a lot about the openness of the local educational system tonew ways of learning and working, such as Internet technology. It allows usto invest in the future skill base, which is important because Amsterdam willbe one of the company’s biggest offices, with extensive e-learning facilities,acting as a showcase for all the latest Cisco technologies.

”In 2000 Cisco Systems decided to build its first corporate campus outsidethe US for its European operations, including logistics and ordering, insouth-east Amsterdam. The company has also teamed up with the BerlageLyceum and local colleges as part of the Cisco Networking Academyprogramme to train the next generation of IT workers.

OPENESS OF NATIONAL CULTURE IN THE EU1= closed to foreign ideas, 10 = open to foreign ideas

1. Netherlands 8,0Luxembourg 8,0

3. portugal 7,94. Belgium 7,85. Ireland 7,66. Greece 7,5

Estonia 7,58. Finland 7,4

Italy 7,410. Sweden 7,3

Source: IMD World Competiveness Yearbook 2003

The Amstel, which gave Amsterdam itsname in the 13th century, stillresembles the river that Rembrandtand the young Mondriaan painted. It isa stone’s throw (or jog) from thrivingbusiness areas in the South East andthe South Axis.

22|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE NUMBER FOUR IN GLOBAL RECIPIENTS OF FDI (IMD 2003)

Growth scenarioAlmere is a new town, only 20 minutes by car or train fromAmsterdam, that offers business and industry space toexpand in an inspiring waterside setting with high-speedconnectivity and a young labour pool.


Green fields are a bike hop out of town.

You can walk through the dunes,

alongside the nearby coastline, sail on

the IJsselmeer or play golf on one of the

14 golf courses.

Shinichi Mochizuki Europa-KoyoDirector

“ In 1973 we opened our first sales office in The Netherlands. In 1992we moved to Almere, where we’ve expanded our most important activities:sales and marketing, storage and distribution (warehousing) as well asresearch and development. In 1997 we also added our technical centrewhere we can test product developments. In Almere we have space forexpansion, which means we can continue to serve all our client’s needs fromone location.

The infrastructure is very good: with Schiphol Airport and the Port so close,we can ship our products to our European clients quickly. These factors,together with the reasonable real estate prices, make this a first-classlocation for us.

Furthermore, facilities for our Japanese staff are very important. TheJapanese school in Amstelveen, for example, is very attractive for ourworkers with families.I live in Amsterdam: a lovely city for shopping and in my time off I can beregularly found on one of the golfcourses in the region.

”Koyo Seiko Ltd. was established in Osaka, Japan in 1921 and is now aleading manufacturer of ball and roller bearings and steering systems for avariety of Automotive and Industrial Equipment manufacturers. Koyo SeikoLtd. has 31 factories worldwide with 34 sales offices spread over 23countries. Furthermore there are 7 technical centres. Their establishmentin Almere is the European Head Office.

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QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX

NorwayIcelandSweden

AustraliaNetherlands

BelgiumUSA

CanadaJapan

Switzerland

Source: United Nations Human Development Report 2003

35 Amsterdam advantages

ACCESSIBILITY A true ‘Gateway to Europe’,the area’s rail, road andwater connections are secondto none. All major businesslocations are linked by a fast,modern ring road system.The city is investing heavilyin a new transportinfrastructure, extending thecity’s metro south toSchiphol, via the South Axis,and to new developmentareas like North Amsterdam.The harbour is connected tothe North Sea, to the Rhineinto Germany and to theMaas into Belgium.

SCIENCEPARK AMSTERDAMSciencepark Amsterdam ishome to internationallyrenowned research instituteslike the National Institute forNuclear Physics and HighEnergy Physics (NIKHEF), theInstitute for Atomic andMolecular Physics (AMOLF),and the National ResearchInstitute for Mathematics andComputer Science (CWI), aswell as SARA Computing andNetworking Services. SARAhas a second facility inAlmere. The park also housesthe Faculty of Science ofAmsterdam University, over100 knowledge-intensivecompanies, the major Internethub AMS-IX, and next-generation cable links. Thepark providesaccommodation for start-upsas well as established ICT andlife sciences companies, andacts as an incubator fortechnology entrepreneurs. Inaddition, both Biogen Idec

and Beijing Science Centrehave facilities here.

AUTOMOTIVE More and more automotivecompanies are establishingtheir European headquarterand marketing & salesactivities in the AmsterdamArea. Our prestigiousbusiness parks house nationaland international automotivesuppliers and companiesincluding Europa-Koyo,Eaton, Meritor Automotive,Yamaha, Mitsubishi, Hitachi,Woodward Governor Group.

BUSINESS AIRPORT Schiphol is a leadingpassenger, cargo andbusiness airport. More than1,100 internationalcompanies direct theirEuropean activities from thearea. In the vicinity areSchiphol WTC, Business ParkBeukenhorst, AirportBusiness Park Lijnden,Schiphol-Rijk, AirportBusiness Park AmsterdamOsdorp and SchipholLogistics Park.

BUSINESS PORT The logistics heart of Europe,the Port of Amsterdam is thechoice of numerousinternational companies fortheir operations. Distributioncompanies, storageterminals, manufacturingenterprises and offices workin tight synergy. The port’sdynamics are reflected in thecompanies that have decidedto locate their business here:Starbucks, Oiltanking, HitachiConstruction Machinery andCargill. The proximity to thesea and to Amsterdam AirportSchiphol, plus the excellent

connections with Europe’shinterland, are guarantees forefficient logistics. Whether acompany is large or small,harbour dependent or not,with more than 400 hectareof land directly available, thePort of Amsterdam canalways provide an appropriatesite.

BUSINESS TRADITIONHome of the world’s firstpublicly listed multinational,whose ships were covered bythe world’s first insurancepremiums. The first futuresand stock exchanges werealso founded in Amsterdam.

CALL & SHARED SERVICECENTRES Multilingual skills, top qualitytelecom infrastructure andappropriate office facilities arejust some of the reasons whyso many global corporations,from Unisys and SixContinents, Reuters,Peoplesoft, to SykesEnterprises and BMCSoftware have chosen tolocate their international callcentres/ shared servicecentres in or nearAmsterdam.

CIVIC SYNERGY There are a range of privateand public sector agencies, ata local, regional, national andinternational level that co-operate closely and uniquelyto facilitate the relocation offoreign companies to theAmsterdam Area. Theseinclude the Chamber ofCommerce, the NetherlandsForeign Investment Agency,the Province of NorthHolland, and the sponsors ofthis publication.

CONGRESS CITY Amsterdam is an importantcongress city, with superbfacilities for large-scaleinternational gatherings. TheRAI, the largest Dutchconference and congresscentre, yearly attracts visitorsto more than 50 majorinternational congresses, 70trade fairs and exhibitionsand more than 1,000conferences and meetings.

CONNECTIVITY The Amsterdam InternetExchange (AMS-IX) isdistributed over fourlocations, two of them inSciencepark Amsterdam.ISPs interconnect andexchange traffic with eachother to reduce upstreamconnection costs. AMS-IXserves more than 170Internet-related companies,making it one of Europe’slargest independent‘marketplaces’ for exchanginginternet traffic. The area’slinks to transatlantic sub-sea cabling further reinforceAmsterdam’s position asEurope’s most connectedcity.

CREATIVE CLUSTERBesides publishing activities(Reed Elsevier, Wolters Kluwerand PCM in Amsterdam,Sanoma in Hoofddorp andVNU in nearby Haarlem), anda dynamic new media cluster,Amsterdam’s creativeagencies, which includeinternational names like EuroRSCG, Lowe, McCann-Erickson, Ogilvy, PPGH/JWT,PMSVW/Young & Rubicam,Publicis, Result DBB, TBWA,Wieden+Kennedy and local

heroes KesselsKramer, place ita close third to London andParis.

EDUCATED, MULTI-LINGUAL WORKFORCE91% of Dutch people speak asecond language. 35% ofAmsterdammers have at leasta college or universityeducation.

EURO CAPITALGeographically and politicallycentral, the Netherlands isamong the keenest EUplayers: the Euro currencywas conceived in Maastrichtin 1991 and the firstpresident of the EuropeanCentral Bank, was DutchmanWim Duisenberg. TheAmsterdam Treaty (1999)was an important milestonein European integration.

FINANCIAL CENTREThe headquarters of majorDutch banks such as ABN-AMRO and ING are located inAmsterdam; it is the home ofthe Dutch Central Bank, theNetherlands BankersAssociation and the ForeignBankers Association. Around58 foreign banks, more than100 local and foreigninsurance companies haveoffices here.

FLOWER POWERAalsmeer, south west of thecity, hosts the world’s biggestflower auction in Europe’slargest commercial complex.More than 20 million cutflowers and pot plants, with avalue of 5.75 million euros,are sold every day.

FOOTBALL One of the world’s great

24|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE THE AREA WITH THE ADVANTAGE


25|AMSTERDAM AREA | CONTINUITY + DIVERSITY

soccer clubs with a 100-yearhistory, Ajax has been Dutchchampions 28 times andEuropean champs four times.It shares the 51,000-seaterAmsterdam ArenA stadiumwith the Amsterdam AdmiralsAmerican football team.

INDUSTRY Manufacturing continues toplay an important role in theregional economy. Corus, theAnglo-Dutch multi-metalsgiant has a major productionplant close to the harbour ofIJmuiden.

INTERNATIONALORGANISATIONSAmsterdam’s stable andliberal democracy makes it apopular place for NGOs andother internationalorganisations, such asGreenpeace, GRI (GlobalReporting Initiative), RIPE(Réseaux IP Européens),World Press Photo, Médecinssans Frontières and theInternational Bureau forFiscal Documentation.

LIFE SCIENCESThere are many academicand research institutions withlife science links. Unilever,DSM, Gist Brocades, BiogenIdec and an increasingnumber of bio businesses arebased in the area. A biotechincubator opened in 2002 atthe Sciencepark Amsterdamin East Amsterdam.

LIVING SPACEAlong the canals there arestylish residences withclassic 17th centuryinteriors. The city’s formerdocklands, which were thesource of its Golden Age

wealth, are the site oftoday’s innovative housingprojects, incorporating fullinfrastructure and greenspace.

LOCAL GLOBAL HEROES The Netherlands has its shareof indigenous global players,and most are headquarteredin the area, including ABN-AMRO, Ahold, ING,Heineken, KLM, Numico,Shell - even Philips, based inEindhoven since the late 19thcentury, moved itsheadquarters to the Dutchcapital. “From aninternational perspective,Amsterdam is an excellentlocation from which tomanage a large internationalcorporation,” says top manGerard Kleisterlee.

LOW COST OFLIVING/WORKING Telecommunications,transport and logistics costsare among the cheapest inEurope. Prime rents - in thefast-rising office sites of theSouth Axis - are still only athird of those in London andhalf those of Paris. The cost ofliving for expatriates is one ofthe lowest of any majorEuropean city.

LUXURY HOTELSThe city has 345 hotels with43,000 available beds,between themaccommodating nearly8,000,000 overnight stays ayear. More than a dozen fivestar hotels include the Hiltonin which John and Yoko onceprotested for peace, theelegant riverside Amstel, theJapanese-owned Okura, thecanal-side De l’Europe,

Pulitzer, The Grand andAnouska Hempel’s Blakes.

MULTICULTURALMETROPOLISFor centuries, Amsterdam hasbeen a “melting pot”, and itsinternational, cosmopolitanatmosphere explains itspopularity with othernationalities; 48 percent ofthe city’s residents have aforeign or dual nationality,with 173 nationalitiesrepresented.Amstelveen/Buitenveldert (inthe south of the AmsterdamArea), for example, is home tothe second largest Japanesecommunity in Europe.

OFFICE SPACE New building techniqueshave recently opened up themarshy ground of the regionto high-rise developments,and the results are visible onthe city’s skyline, especially inthe South Axis, at Teleport inthe Sloterdijk area, along theRiver Amstel and on theBeukenhorst Business Park,close to Schiphol, and atSchiphol Airport.

PASSENGER TERMINALVoted ‘Best New PassengerTerminal’ of Northern Europein 2000, and just tenminutes’ walk from CentralStation. The largest cruiseships in the world can moorat the 600-metre quay. Lastyear, the PTA welcomedalmost 100 internationalcruise vessels and 641 rivercruise vessels.

RESEARCH ANDKNOWLEDGE CENTREAmsterdam has twouniversities and three

academic hospitals. Thereare world-class researchinstitutes in AIDS, cancer(Dutch cancer researchpapers are the second mostfrequently cited), brain andblood, and leadinginternational institutions formathematics, computerscience, nuclear and highenergy physics. Start-uptime for phase I of clinicaltrails is second to none,usually 4 to 6 weeks. Shellis building a NewTechnology Centre in NorthAmsterdam for R&D in thefield of oil and chemicals.Also located there are ShellSolar, Shell Wind and ShellHydrogen.

SOUND OF MUSICAmsterdam boasts more than150 venues for music,performance and theatre.These range from the poptemple Paradiso to theConcertgebouw - its ‘golden’acoustics annually attractvisitors to 600 classicalconcerts (150 of which are bythe world-renowned RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra),making it one of the mostpopular classical musicvenues anywhere. TheNetherlands Opera hasestablished itself at theforefront of the internationalmusic scene.

SPECIALITY CHEMICALSThe port has become amagnet for the specialitychemical industry andchemical distributioncompanies, includingAkzoNobel Catalysts,ExxonMobil Chemical, GeneralElectric Plastics, SigmaCoatings, and Nichia Europe.

STABLE ECONOMICCLIMATEDutch consensus philosophyensures co-operationbetween employers andemployees. The Netherlandshas one of the lowest numberof days lost to strikes in theEuropean Union.

TAX REGULATIONS The Netherlands has acompetitive tax regime thatstimulates entrepreneurshipand foreign investment.While corporate tax rates aresimilar to those of itsEuropean neighbours, theNetherlands is known for itsvery competitive tax climateresulting from a far-reachingtax treaty network, its systemof bonded warehouses, andthe possibility to concludeadvance tax rulings.

TIME OFF The city has 28 parks and abotanical garden, a 160-year-old zoo, and 800 sportsassociations. You can row onthe Amstel, swim in 11swimming pools, play on 40sports field complexes and in20 sports halls.

WORLD CLASS MUSEUMSThe best known ofAmsterdam’s 42 museumsand 141 galleries are theRijksmuseum, the StedelijkMuseum of modern art, andthe Van Gogh Museum,boasting the largestcollection of the artist’s work.In 2004 the HermitageAmsterdam, a branch of the StateHermitage Museum in St. Petersburg opens in theAmstelhof building.

EXTRA

26|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEING HERE CIVIC COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

Contact us Amsterdam has 800 years' experience inwelcoming foreigners. The region has fostered a unique culture of hospitality and civic co-operation that continues today.

ALMERE

In 28 years Almere hasgrown from population zeroto a thriving community ofabout 180,000 people withall the necessary facilitiesfor living, working andrecreation. Almere’s policyis to create in time a city of350,000 people.

Today it is home to youngprofessionals who favour thearea’s natural assets andavailable housing, toexpanding Dutch companiessearching for space andgrowth, and to an increasingnumber of global businesseswho appreciate Almere’saccessibility (about 20minutes from Amsterdam),competitive land and officeprices, the quality of thelocal workforce and thetown’s advanced ITbroadband infrastructure.Among the internationalcompanies who have chosenfor Almere are YakultEurope, ASM Europe, TYC,LG Electronics, Koyo Seiko,Beiersdorf and MitsubishiCaterpillar Forklift Europe.In 2002 the Almere FashionCentre with its innovativestadium-style architecture(see photo) opened itsdoors.

Plans are being developedfor a Business Technologyand Life-style Park forinternational high techoperations.

For more information,contact usT +31 36 548 46 00F +31 36 539 99 20E [email protected] www.almere.nl

Mailing address: Dept.Economic Affairs City ofAlmere, PO Box 200,1300 AE Almere,The Netherlands.

AMSTERDAM AIRPORTAREAThe area is home tointernational companies inthe automotive, aviation/aerospace, electronics,financial, IT, life science,and professional servicessector. It is also adistribution hub for many ofthe world’s largest logisticservice providers.

AAA is a partnershipbetween nine organisationsfrom the public and privatesector that either own orwho have investments inland or facilities in theairport area. They are theCity of Amsterdam’s ForeignInvestment Office,Haarlemmermeer, the area’sthriving municipality withbusiness parks and landzoned for future industrialand commercialdevelopment, KantorenFonds Nederland, a propertyinvestment company, KLMRoyal Dutch Airlines, whichhas been based at Schipholsince it was founded morethan 80 years ago, theProvince of North Holland,whose responsibilitiesinclude regional economicdevelopment, the SchipholArea Development Company, a public-private partnership dedicated to

developing and expandingthe area’s business parks,Schiphol Real Estate, thepartner for locations atAirportCity Schiphol,Amsterdam Business Port,which has large plots of landavailable for logistic projectsand is only a 20-minutedrive from Schiphol and INGReal Estate, one of thelargest property investmentcompanies in theAmsterdam Area.

AAA can provide practicalassistance to companiesinterested in setting upEuropean operations in thisunique business location.

For more information,contact usT +31 20 405 47 77F +31 20 653 18 94E [email protected] www.aaarea.nl

Mailing address:Amsterdam Airport Area, PO Box 75700, 1118 ZT Schiphol Airport,The Netherlands.

AMSTERDAM BUSINESSPORTThe Amsterdam portsconsist of the ports ofIJmuiden, Beverwijk,Zaanstad and Amsterdamthat have high-tech portfacilities and space toexpand. Many internationalcompanies like BP, Cargill,Hitachi, Nichia andStarbucks have alreadyestablished operations inand around the port area,including the Africa harbourbasin, with nearly 700 acresavailable for transshipmentoperations, port-relatedindustry and distributioncompanies.

The ports are specialised insectors such as chemical,food, metalwork andlogistics. The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal provides directaccess to Germany, Austria,Switzerland and the Danubecountries. There are excellentroad and rail links andSchiphol Airport is only a 20-minute drive away.

The Port Authoritystimulates economic activityin the Amsterdam North Seacanal area. Its servicesrange from assisting inrequests for various permitsand provisions, technical

27|AMSTERDAM AREA | BEST FOR BUSINESS

consulting, recruitment,location advice andconstruction.

For more information, contactusT +31 20 523 45 60F +31 20 523 40 60E [email protected] www.amsterdamports.nl

Mailing address: AmsterdamPort Authority, PO Box 19406, 1000 GK Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Visiting address: AmsterdamPort Authority, De Ruyterkade 7, 1013 AA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Amsterdam PortAuthority has representativesin both Germany (Düsseldorf)and the United States (NewJersey and Texas).

AMSTERDAM FOREIGNINVESTMENT OFFICE The Amsterdam ForeignInvestment Office provideseasy access to the city and theregion. It has a wide-rangingnetwork of contacts in thepublic and private sectors. Wehelp foreign and Dutchcompanies to establish asuccessful operation, frominitial exploration to start-upand beyond. We have theknow-how - to solve problemsfor businesses entering anunfamiliar environment - andknow-who - to provideintroductions to individuals,professional advisors,agencies, and other sourcesthat can provide assistance tocompanies, expatriate staffand their families.

We can arrange tailor-madeprogrammes to evaluate andselect business locations. Wecan assist in the recruitmentof staff and in obtaining workvisas and permits. We canlocate suitable housing andadvise on international andlocal schools. We can arrangemeetings with foreign or localexecutives who are active inbusiness in the region. Withthe same awareness thatmakes companies focus oncurrent customers as theirgreatest opportunity forincreasing sales, Amsterdam

directs the lion’s share of itseconomic development staffand resources toward thesupport and nurturing of firmsalready established in the cityand the region.

The Amsterdam ForeignInvestment Office is part ofAmsterdam’s EconomicDevelopment Departmentand works in close co-operation with a range ofregional, national andinternational agencies. Itsservices are free, confidentialand without obligation.

For more information, contact usT +31 20 552 35 36F +31 20 552 28 60E [email protected] W www.afio.amsterdam.nl

Mailing address: AmsterdamForeign Investment Office, PO Box 2133,1000 CC Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Visiting address:Weesperstraat 89,Metropool Building 4th floor, 1018 VN Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PUBLISHER

Amsterdam Foreign Investment Office

in close co-operation with

Almere, Amsterdam Airport Area and

the Amsterdam Port Authority

ART DIRECTION/DESIGN

LandofPlenty, Antoin Buissink

PHOTOGRAPHY

Theo Vogel and Chris van Tongeren:

portraits & principal photography.

Additional photos: Hollandse Hoogte,

DRO-Vorm.

Cover image: Tulipa, L. Blok,

Spaarnestad Fotoarchief

TEXT

Roderic Leigh, Garry Piggott,

Jules Marshall, Jane Szita

txtworks copy & concept: Frits Philips

MAPS

MONOLAB urbanism-Architecture

PRINTING

Drukkerij Mart.Spruijt bv

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

LandofPlenty, Antoin Buissink

Every effort has been made to ensure

that the information in this brochure

was accurate at the time of going to

press. We apologise for any errors or

omissions.

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Amsterdam Area 2004

Business

Transcript of Amsterdam Area 2004