Germany - Chicago Business Facts

250+ German-owned companies with more than 500 locations in greater Chicago

  • Siemens, K+S AG, Lufthansa, Deutsche Telekom, Fresnius…

At least 110 Chicago-area companies in Germany

  • ITW, McDonald’s (Germany’s top American employer), Dade Behring…

2010 Imports to the Chicago Customs District

  • Total: US$5.9 billion

Top Import Categories:

  • Industrial Machinery, Including Computers 
  • Optic, Photo, Medical or Surgical Instruments
  • Pharmaceutical Products

2010 Exports from the Chicago Customs District

  • Total: US$3.4 billion

Top Export Categories:

  • Optic, Photo, Medical or Surgical Instruments
  • Industrial Machinery, Including Computers
  • Pharmaceutical Products

Recent expansions and locations in Chicago

  • FrankfurtRhineMain Corp. promotion office, 2009
  • Nordex AG, North American HQ, 2009
  • Dade Behring purchase by Siemens 
  • North Rhine-Westphalia promotion office, 2009 
  • Winergy Drive Systems plant expansion, Elgin, 2009, $20m/300 jobs (Siemens) 
  • E.ON Climate & Renewables expansion, 2009

German Consulate General in Chicago; German-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest (GACCoM)

Goethe Institut, Chicago; German School Chicago recently opened

Hamburg, Germany Sister City relationship

Germans are the second largest ethnic group in Chicago – 130,000 (2000 Census)

Numerous forums showcasing German companies have been held in Chicago by GACCoM, 2007-present