Being part of the metropolitan region of Stuttgart and located in proximity to the district of Ulm, the region of Ostwuerttemberg can offer a diversity of interrelationships. Compared to the other regions of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the economy of Ostwurttemberg is characterized by a larger share of the manufacturing sector. Due to the innovative strength of the efficient medium-sized companies, the activity of worldwide leading enterprises and a close interaction of industry and science, the region occupies one of the foremost positions in the German patent statistics.
The Ostwuerttemberg region covers an area of 2,138 square kilometres with more than 442,000 inhabitants and consists of the local districts of Heidenheim and Ostalbkreis. The region's integration into the metropolitan region of Stuttgart and its location in proximity to the district of Ulm are supporting factors for the extensive network activities in the metal industry, machine, plant and tool construction or the automotive sector as well as in other cross-sectoral industries, such as the photonics or surface technology.
Compared to Baden-Wuerttemberg as a whole, the economy of the Ostwuerttemberg region is significantly stronger influenced by the manufacturing sector. Consequently, the share of the entire services sector, including corporate services, is lower than the federal state's average.
The clusters established in the region of Ostwuerttemberg together with their network structures are building on the early industrial development in several sectors, particularly with regard to mechanical engineering and the metal processing industry. This applies to the surface technology, but also to the automotive sector, mechanical engineering, plant and tool construction as well as to design.
The most important sectors include (by the number of jobs liable for social insurance contributions excluding commerce, the construction and the public sector):
the metal industry including mechanical engineering and the manufacture of fabricated metal products
Compared to other regions, the innovative strength of Ostwuerttemberg is distinctly above average. Due to the innovative strength of the efficient medium-sized companies, the activity of worldwide leading enterprises and a close interaction of industry and science, the region occupies one of the foremost positions in the German patent statistics. According to the innovation index of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Ostwuerttemberg ranks second with respect to its innovative performance, and even occupies the top positions relating to the level and notably to the development index.
Innovation Index of the region* | ||
---|---|---|
Overall index | 38,0 % | federal state 38,8 % |
| 35,6 % | federal state 36,5 % |
| 45,5 % | federal state 45,8 % |
Share of the employment in the different sectors** | ||
---|---|---|
Manufactoring | 47,1 % | federal state 36,2 % |
Services | 52,5 % | federal state 63,3 % |
| 11,7 % | federal state 13,3 % |
| 8,6 % | federal state 12,5 % |
| 3,5 % | federal state 4,1 % |
*Statistical State Office of Baden-Wuerttemberg 2015
**Statistic of Employment of the Federal Employment Agency 2015