NEW YORK, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The Netherlands reported record levels of capital investment by foreign companies in 2014, spurred by an attractive business climate. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) assisted in the attraction of 187 new foreign investment projects, representing nearly $3.5 billion in planned investment and the creation of 6,304 new jobs.
The United States and Canada fueled the growth with 70 projects, or 37% of projects worldwide, and nearly $2.9 billion in capital investment generating 2,533 direct jobs. In North America, 27 headquarters projects set the pace, followed by 11 manufacturing projects and 9 distribution centers. Marketing and sales offices, service and data centers and R&D facilities were also active in business sectors ranging from information technology and life sciences to creative industries and chemicals.
“The Netherlands is clearly a business location of choice for North American companies,” said Jan-Emile van Rossum, Executive Director of NFIA North America. “Our technology strengths, innovative mindset, highly educated workforce and world-class transportation and technology infrastructure are attracting investments from some of the biggest names in business.”
The U.S. maintains its top spot as the leading single-country investor overall for the Netherlands with 65 projects creating more than 2,300 jobs. Netflix, Stryker, Coravin, DoubleDutch and Medline are among companies that opened European headquarters in the Netherlands last year, while American Eagle, Expedia, Liquavista and Palo Alto Networks expanded operations, and Ball Corporation and PPG Industries invested in manufacturing plants.
Google also decided to build a mammoth new $661 million data center in Eemshaven in the northern province of Groningen. The single largest investment was from Canadian company Northland Power, which is investing nearly $1.8 billion in Gemini, an offshore wind park off the northern coast of the Netherlands.
“The Netherlands is red hot right now for North American companies that are looking to expand in Europe,” van Rossum said. “The Dutch business climate is very welcoming and that makes it a smart choice for U.S. and Canadian companies to set up and expand operations in the Netherlands.”
The NFIA has U.S. offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.nfia.com.
About NFIA
The NFIA is an operational unit of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The NFIA helps and advises foreign companies on the establishment, rolling out and/or expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands. The NFIA was established more than 35 years ago, and has since supported more than 3,400 companies from nearly 60 countries in the establishment or expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands.
[box type=”info”]SOURCE Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency[/box]
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