It is not surprising that there was no radio program in the Netherlands specifically aimed at doing business in Germany, says Derk Marseille, Germany correspondent. “The assumption is that the relationship and trade with Germany will run smoothly, but a new era is dawning. After 16 years of stability under the leadership of Chancellor Merkel, German politics and industry are facing new complex challenges. The country will be busy enough with itself and have less time for neighboring countries.”

Every Monday until the German elections of September 26, 2021, Thomas van Zijl will talk to an experienced entrepreneur who focuses on the German market. This discusses how you can demonstrate your ambitions in Germany and provide practical insights. How would a well-known German brand such as Sennheiser be convinced to choose a supplier from the Netherlands?

Germany is an extremely attractive market for entrepreneurs, because it offers great opportunities for almost all sectors. In the media they often do not talk about where the real opportunities lie. BNR Germany is changing this. They invite successful and experienced entrepreneurs to have a good conversation about what they encountered, but where they still achieved results.

In the conversation, Saskia talks about supplying precision mechanical parts and complete assembled and tested modules for high-tech companies. It is also discussed how Nijdra conquered the German market.

Only 1 in 5 SMEs dares to go abroad. It is therefore a process of trial and error, says Saskia van Dijk-Nije. “We have been in business for 17 years, a time in which we have learned a lot. Our advantage: we are a family business, which is popular in Germany. Our product adds something. And a German customer would rather send product drawings to us for co-engineering than to China.”