Herne is situated in the centre of the Ruhr metropolitan region, the largest conurbation in Europe with a highly developed infrastructure and strong economic and scientific potential. Every third EU citizen lives within a 500 kilometre radius of Herne. As Europe continues to grow closer, Herne is very well positioned in the service and manufacturing sectors. The city’s business and population density is double the average for the Ruhr region. Where coal mines once stood, industrial and commercial estates, green spaces, and recreation areas have grown up. Forward-looking industries and service companies are the cornerstones of Herne’s economic development.
Despite the problems that structural transformation has brought, employment levels have remained constant: The above-average expansion of Herne’s service sector all but compensated for the job losses in the manufacturing sector. Modern, highly competitive manufacturing companies still generate over 50 per cent of sales in the city – a large share of this through exports.
Sectors of major importance are healthcare and logistics as well as mechanical and electrical engineering.
