Governor Kemp opens new Georgia office, builds partnerships on mission to Germany

Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp recently returned from an international economic development mission to Germany – one of Georgia’s top three investment partners.

The Governor and First Lady were joined by a small team of Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) leadership headed by Commissioner Pat Wilson to thank German business leaders and government officials for their investments in the state, where approximately 25,000 Georgians are employed by more than 500 German companies.

“Our ties overseas are crucial to our economic success, and this trip helped focus on where we can continue to build new inroads and strengthen our solid foundation together,” said Governor Kemp. “We appreciate our hosts at AmCham Germany, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Hӓring, Hansgrohe and throughout the country. We look forward to our even stronger partnership in the years ahead.”

While in Germany, the Georgia delegation opened the state’s new and expanded European office in Munich, and visited with German companies with operations in Georgia, including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Hӓring and Hansgrohe Group. 

First Lady Kemp also spent time on Friday morning meeting with leaders at Kainos, a German nonprofit focused on combating human trafficking and assisting victims of exploitation.  

On Wednesday, Governor and First Lady Kemp cut the ribbon to officially open the State of Georgia’s new European office, where a team of five focus on growing investment and trade opportunities. Additionally, because Georgia is an important tourist destination for Germans traveling abroad, the state also has two tourism promotion representatives based in Munich.

While there, Governor Kemp also recorded a new outgoing voicemail message for the office, touting Georgia’s record-breaking status as the No. 1 state for business to industry prospects and other callers.  

Dr. Florian Herrmann, Bavarian state minister for domestic, European affairs and media, met with Governor Kemp during Herrmann’s visit to Georgia in June 2019, and Governor Kemp and the First Lady repaid the courtesy with a meeting in Munich. Dr. Hermann hosted the Governor, First Lady and the delegation in the Prinz Carl Palais for a working meeting where they discussed ways in which the two states can continue to strengthen economic, educational and political ties.

At the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Germany’s Annual New Year’s reception, Governor Kemp and the Georgia delegation enjoyed spending time with business and political leaders including Frank Sportolari, president of UPS Germany and of AmCham Germany, and Meghan Gregonis, the United States Consul General in Munich.

On Thursday, Governor Kemp toured Porsche’s Taycan electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany, with Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board, Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, and George Feygin, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Porsche Cars North America. Von Platen was the perfect host, as he previously led Porsche Cars North America in Atlanta for seven years and led the site selection process that eventually chose Atlanta for their showcase headquarters and experience center. It was an honor to be joined by Atlanta based leadership, Zellmer and Feygin, for the headquarters visit.

Porsche opened its $100 million North American headquarters and Porsche Experience Center in 2015 at Aerotropolis Atlanta, which is the largest investment outside Germany for the sports car manufacturer. Since its opening, Porsche’s Atlanta footprint has expanded with a second location.  

Governor Kemp also visited the Daimler AG headquarters on Thursday, where he thanked the company for investing in Georgia and worked to reinforce the increasing ties between Georgia and the Daimler leadership. Mercedes-Benz USA, the premium Daimler brand, opened its North American headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia, in 2018. Soon thereafter, Daimler decided to locate Lab1886, an innovation and entrepreneurial incubation center, in Midtown Atlanta to take advantage of Georgia’s excellent universities, highly skilled and motivated graduates and the growing digital innovation ecosystem. Additionally, in downtown Atlanta, the award-winning Mercedes-Benz stadium has regularly hosted record-breaking crowds since opening in August 2017.

On Friday, Governor Kemp and other members of the delegation traveled to Bubsheim, Germany, for meetings and a tour at Hӓring, a Germany-based leading global manufacturer of precision components and subassemblies for the automotive industry. 

The company located its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Hart County in 2014, and Kemp thanked Häring leaders for their expanding presence, where the company has hired 40 full-time employees and committed to creating 400 jobs, while investing $64 million. Part of the tour included the Anton Häring Academy, where technical college graduates from Georgia attend a three-year training program to develop leadership skills, learn company culture, refine their technical skills and gain fluency in the German language.

The tour moved next to Schiltach, Germany, in the historic Eastern Black Forest, to meet with leadership at Hansgrohe Group. Hansgrohe opened its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Alpharetta, Georgia, in 1996. Hansgrohe currently employs approximately 300 people and has invested more than $50 million into its Forsyth County operation, where its capabilities include faucet and shower head assembly, as well as a process called Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), which creates special finishes with superior durability. 

Since her first days as Georgia’s First Lady, Mrs. Marty Kemp has made ending human trafficking a priority in Georgia, launching her Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education (GRACE) Commission in 2019 to combat the threat of human trafficking in the state. As she is eager to bring best practices to Georgia, First Lady Kemp met Friday with Kainos co-founder Lana Packer to learn about the German organization’s wide array of efforts to end human trafficking and help victims. Outreach services such as counseling, job training and specially designed classes aid an average of 90 women a month.  

“Whether it’s in Georgia or in Germany, even one victim of human trafficking is too many,” said First Lady Marty Kemp. “Kainos has been at work to fight this evil industry and help victims in Germany since 2014, and I appreciated meeting with co-founder Lana Packer to learn more about her organization’s approach and successes. I will take some of these lessons back to our GRACE Commission in Georgia to make sure we continue learning and building new partnerships to maximize our effectiveness.” 

Throughout the trip, the Governor took time to thank German companies and leaders, attract new business, and encourage greater partnerships and investments in Georgia. His meetings with executives and government officials reaffirm the State’s strategic relationship and strengthen business ties across multiple industry sectors.

“I’m very grateful to Governor and Mrs. Kemp for investing in our relationship with Germany by taking the time to personally visit the country and offer a hearty Georgia ‘thank you’ straight from our state. Being welcomed by German companies and thanking them face to face for their investments in Georgia is an important part of expressing our gratitude and appreciation,” said GDEcD Commissioner Wilson. “Personal relationships are at the heart of what we do and are critical to Georgia’s continued success. Our new, expanded European office with more members of Team Georgia working on the ground every day will be an important asset as we pursue continued positive results in the future.”

Additional details regarding Georgia’s relationship with Germany are available online here.