“It is mei sizzen net te dwaan”, is an old Frisian proverb. It loosely translates as, “It’s not what you say, but what you do.” Friesland is a place where backing up your words with actions is the norm. It is no surprise that, with such an active mentality, the Frisian high-tech manufacturing industries play such a prominent role in Europe. Even on a world scale, Frisian high-tech companies are among the leaders in their fields. Do you want to help make a difference? We support established companies and new technological enterprises to keep ourselves at the top of the high-tech industries, for today and into the future.

For many years, Friesland was known as the province of farmers. In the 1950s, several large, innovative manufacturers moved to Friesland and manufacturing joined the agricultural sector in powering the provincial economy. Friesland became a magnet for internationally renowned companies, due to its accessibility; both in its proximity to major transport infrastructure, and in its culture of helpfulness. The culture of cooperation developed as a necessity during the age-old struggle to hold back the waters all around and has remained ingrained in the Frisian identity. We work together. It’s how we’ve survived. Now we work together to grow, innovate, and make a difference. Locate in Friesland is glad to be part of the process. Which role do we play? We encourage and support entrepreneurs in companies large and small, offering space to grow, and close contacts with others in our network, including other entrepreneurs, and knowledge and educational institutions.

Many high-tech companies are already well established in Friesland, including Philips, BD Kiestra, Quadient, NTS Norma, and Beenen B.V. There are many more, all working in the Frisian countryside to find solutions for worldwide problems affecting all societies. Companies here are concentrated not on competing with one another, but on working together in a position of strength through mutual support. By sharing knowledge, technological facilities, and innovative ideas, entrepreneurs can develop and produce high-quality products; products to make life easier, and even to save lives. All this from a dot on the world map. Most Frisians don’t like to boast about their
accomplishments, but their achievements are many!

With the growth of the HTSM-industry in Friesland, there is also a growth in job opportunities for technically-schooled personnel. The established companies work together with local educational institutions at all levels. Organisations who take part in these cooperative efforts include the Rijks Universiteit of Groningen (RuG), NHL Stenden, the Friese Poort and the Friesland College. Academical students can do part of their Mechanical Engineering master programme in Drachten. For our entrepreneurs, this means a large, well-trained pool of technically-schooled potential employees right on the doorstep. For our students, the opportunity exists to see their entire technical study blossom right here in the North.

Click here to learn more about Locate In Friesland. If you wish to (re)locate your company in the technical centre of the Netherlands, you can rely on us as your go-to address for all you need to know. Contact one of our consultants directly.