Dansk Industri Århus Amt
Danish industry heads west
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Once a year, the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI), the central organisation for industry in Denmark, compiles business statistics for each of its regional associations, i.e. for each county in Denmark. The statistics for the individual regions not only provide a good indication of business development within the respective regions, the combined regional statistics also enable one to form an overview of developments in trade and industry within the regions in relation to each other, and thereby a dynamic picture of industrial life in Denmark.
The key industrial figures for each region for 2001 depict a shift westwards in terms of where businesses are deciding to locate their activities. Today, the County of Aarhus accounts for 11.9 per cent of total industrial employment in Denmark and is thus the county with the greatest share of jobs in industry outside the Greater Copenhagen area. Furthermore, the County of Aarhus is following the “Jutland trend” of showing, over a five-year period, an increase in industrial employment that lies above the national average.
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The development in trade and industry in a region is dependent on many factors. The right conditions and the right framework must be present for trade and industry to flourish and inject the necessary dynamism into the regional/local society.
DI’s regional association in the County of Århus, which represents almost 800 businesses in the county, has the important job of exercising its influence on regional and local politicians and authorities with a view to ensuring the most favourable operating conditions for industry.
Aarhus has everything necessary to attract new businesses and retain existing industrial enterprises.
A good and well-qualified workforce is available with the necessary institutions for supplementary training and further education such as Aarhus University, the Engineering College of Aarhus, the Aarhus Business School and other excellent research environments; it also has a rich cultural life, which is important for attracting and keeping a workforce, an effective infrastructure, an attractive position close to the sea, a central location on Jutland from the point of view of transport, as well as a good health system, etc.
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As many people know, industry is one of the dynamos in the household which is society; for example, exports earn foreign exchange and thereby the possibility of importing raw materials into the country. Looking at industry in Århus, exports from manufacturing companies have over an eight-to-ten-year period seen a particularly impressive growth as compared with trends nationwide. The share of total turnover from exports for manufacturing companies is approximately 43 per cent in the County of Århus.
The most important exporting business areas are foodstuffs, which account for more than 50 per cent of all exports from the county, while the iron and metal industry accounts for almost 25 per cent.
However, it is not just the traditional industries that characterise Århus. Especially in recent years, the city has made a name for itself within IT, and a wide range of new companies and research environments have sprung up and contribute to depicting Aarhus as a modern and dynamic growth centre for Danish industry.
In the Confederation of Danish Industry’s County of Aarhus branch, DI Århus Amt, we are, as I have mentioned, seriously committed to ensuring the right conditions for growth for industrial companies.
In particular, it is important for us to get hold of the young, and one of the more spectacular initiatives are the medals which are awarded at Aarhus City Hall each year, where DI Århus Amt in cooperation with the local workmen’s association, Århus Håndværkerforening, and the Municipality of Aarhus hand out medals to the 25 best apprentices from companies in the county. The medals are awarded by HRH Prince Joachim, and prior to the ceremony in the council chamber, a band performs in the square in front of the main entrance to the City Hall.
This is a delightful annual Aarhus event which in addition to honouring the talented young people is intended to draw young people’s attention to the positive and interesting opportunities that exist within trading and industrial companies based in the County of Århus.
In a university city such as Århus, there lies a challenge in establishing and developing good contacts between researchers and trade and industry. For the benefit of all concerned. DI’s regional association is working to achieve this through fruitful collaboration between the County of Aarhus and Aarhus University.
If Aarhus is to continue developing as a commercial centre for growth, it is important that the Municipality of Aarhus and the County of Aarhus safeguard, through a close dialogue with trade and industry, the appropriate conditions for private companies.
The conditions do exist, not least following the expansion of the port of Aarhus and the considerable investments in the road system that are currently being implemented. DI Aarhus Amt is involved in shaping industrial policies, occasionally in cooperation with other organisations representing employers through the Danish Employer’s Confederation, primarily within the area of labour market policies.
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