The Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft für den Kreis Viersen mbH
The WFG was founded in 1971 and its partners are Kreis Viersen and the towns of Kempen, Nettetal, Tönisvorst, Viersen and Willich as well as the municipalities of Brüggen, Grefrath, Niederkrüchten and Schwalmtal. The objective of the WFG is to improve the social and economic structure of the region. This is achieved through, above all, the promotion of industry, commerce, housing and leisure for which the WFG makes use of a wide diversity of instruments.
One focus lies in encouraging industry and business to settle in the area. To this purpose, the WFG plans business and industrial parks in close cooperation with towns and municipalities in Kreis Viersen. The WFG purchases land, provides the necessary utilities and markets the plots whereby companies can in particular profit from individually tailored plots of land and the excellent transport connections. Another task is the maintaining of the existing services which means ensuring both the contacts to the domestic economy and the range of consultation and business help services are continually nurtured. The WFG advertises at all levels to promote Kreis Viersen as a commercial location. It can also offer attractive plots of land that are ideal for housing for young families in Lobberich-Ost, which is currently the biggest housing development in Nettetal. Plots of land are available in a top location for detached, semi-detached and terraced housing.
The WFG also promotes the employment market, commerce and housing via its involvements in specialist organisations. The “Standort Niederrhein GmbH” supports the international activities of the area’s companies, the region’s marketing activities to make it attractive as a business location, as well as the setting up of a so-called “Gründerregion” to promote start-ups in the region. The WFG is the sole shareholder of the “Technologie und Gründerzentrum Niederrhein GmbH” in Kempen, whose task it is to support start-ups and young technologically oriented companies through consultation and the leasing of office space. Along with North Rhine Westphalia’s “Startercenter”, the Technologie and Gründerzentrum Niederrhein is the central port of call for start-ups in Kreis Viersen. By being involved in the “GFB Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Beschäftigung Kreis Viersen GmbH”, the WFG also plays its part in supporting the employment market. The aim of the GFB is to train and reintegrate unemployed persons. The housing market is supported by the WFG via the “GWG Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft für den Kreis Viersen AG”.
The increasing importance of tourism as an economic factor in the Lower Rhine region has been recognised by the WFG and it has led to its involvement in the Niederrhein Tourismus GmbH and the 2-LAND project. Together with Kreis Kleve, Kreis Wesel and the city of Krefeld, the WFG founded the Niederrhein Tourismus GmbH in 2004. It acts as an umbrella company and covers a significant part of the Lower Rhine destination. The objective of the organisation is to market the region as a tourist destination and establish a network between regional service providers and institutions. Also positioned at a regional level is the 2-LAND project. The project area covers the Lower Rhine border region on both the German and Dutch sides. Its objective is to develop cross-border package tours and to place them on the market. Attractive tours can be booked via a hotline, catalogue or the internet.
Detailed information about the objectives and activities of the WFG can be found in the current annual report (in German). The report is available as a PDF. Download
