Scan Magazine | Business | Enterprise Denmark
Creating business bonds between locals at opposite sides of the world The road might seem long from a small company in the Danish town of Slagelse in the western part of Zealand to the immense Chinese market. But a year into the international project at Slagelse Erhvervscenter, the road has already become a great deal shorter. By Mette Hindkjaer Madsen | Photos: Slagelse Erhvervscenter
“We have established an exciting partnership with the wealthy Chinese town Wenzhou, where we can present our local businesses to our contact at the city council, and he can help us connect to relevant Chinese businesses,” says Kim Bøhmert, director of internationalisation at Slagelse Erhvervscenter. Last year, Slagelse Erhvervscenter brought a group of locals to visit Wenzhou. Among the participants was the mayor of Slagelse and, among the results of the trip, exchange agreements between students and teachers of schools were reached in Slagelse and Wenzhou, to the great joy of both parties. 20 to 30 local companies are joining
80 | Issue 87 | April 2016
Slagelse Erhvervscenter in Wenzhou this year to establish valuable business connections. “It’s a great opportunity for the participants to enter the Chinese market, but also for the Chinese to develop their welfare technology and sustainable energy, for example,” Bøhmert explains. And at the core of these corporate bonds is Slagelse Erhvervscenter. They guide companies interested in exporting their business internationally, and keep an eye out for local companies whose businesses show potential for international export. “We screen all companies to see if their products are eligible for export and find out whether they are ready to jump into
it or have a few steps to go before making the big leap,” says Bøhmert. “Either way, we help those who are interested by creating a business plan to prepare them for the next move towards international export.” China is just one of the international destinations Slagelse Erhvervscenter is in touch with at the moment. Germany and Norway are in the mix as well, but the ambition moving forward is clear, according to Bøhmert: “We want our technological know-how to enter the international market to benefit both them and us. We can learn a lot from each other. Through the export of our local businesses we can help productivity in other countries and create jobs for our citizens, and that is our whole reason for doing this.” For more information, please visit: www.slagelseerhvervscenter.dk and www.investinslagelse.com