There is no place so still, yet simultaneously so sparkling with life. No place where history runs so deep, yet a bright future is so striven for. There is no place with so much green, so many lakes and rivers, so much space and so many opportunities. There is no place like Friesland.
Past open fields and winding rivers you travel at ease to your place of work. No congestion, no traffic jams, no stress. In this piece of the Netherlands so different from the rest, you will find peace and quiet and an abundance of space. Space in which to live out your dreams. A world-class business park or a beautiful house on the bank of a lake? It could all be yours and at prices low enough to leave you able to enjoy the good life that Friesland has to offer. Thanks to the province’s excellent road network, you can quickly be in the Randstad*, at Groningen Eelde International Airport, or in the north of Germany.
*The commercial central area, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague.
For centuries, the successful struggle to tame the waters all around has developed in the Friesian people great courage, strength, and an unsurpassed capacity for innovation. The drive to develop and innovate has remained in the Friesian spirit. Achmea from Achlum, Douwe Egberts in Joure or Philips from Drachten. These are all Friesian businesses of world renown. Did you know that C&A has its roots in Sneek, or that Batavus bikes hail from Heerenveen? Friesland is a tiny dot on the world map, but its influence is felt all over the planet. Our province contains three knowledge and research centres: The Water Campus, the Energy Campus, and the Dairy Campus. We also boast an HTSM innovation cluster, along with the test centre for circular plastics. Here, a multitude of companies scientists, and experts from all points of the globe work in earnest to develop solutions and breakthroughs in the fields of sustainability, water technology, and dairy technology. In this petri dish of knowledge and expertise, new ideas are created, nursed, and matured. With excellent infrastructure, close links between entrepreneurs, educators, and supportive government institutions, Friesland is the ideal place to grow and to innovate.
With its own culture, deeply-rooted traditions, its own language and unusual local sports, Friesland can fairly be described as a little quirky. Other quirks include honesty and a strong work ethic. Friesians are proud of their world-class ice skaters and other sports-related celebrities. They also take pride in their history and nature, along with their sense of community, famous for offering space for individual growth, along with support to develop individual talents.
Talent is in abundance in Friesland. The capital city has two leading applied universities, with more than twenty thousand students between them. To complement this, Campus Fryslân (Friesland, in the Frisian language)
facilitates the entry of academics into the job market. The province also offers many other educational institutions, training students in specialisms needed in the modern workplace. As a strong and stable company relies upon skilled employees to succeed, Friesland is the perfect place to be.
A lot of green, a lot of blue, with here and there a town or village. Friesland from the air is a sight to see. Nowhere else offers so much diversity in scenery per square mile. Think of open fields where cattle graze, countless lakes and ponds, rivers and streams. In summer the sailboats race and in winter the ice skaters skate. Four national parks and the wonderful Waddenzee coastline offer fresh air and wind in your hair. You’ll also find beautiful towns steeped in history, packed with art and culture for every taste. It is no wonder that Lonely Planet put Friesland in third place on its ‘Best in Europe’ list in 2018, with Leeuwarden then being the Cultural Capital of Europe. It is also no surprise that research shows Friesians are the happiest people in the Netherlands. What do you expect from people living in such a wonderful place?
Click here to learn more about Locate In Friesland. If you wish to (re)locate your company in the Capital of Water Technology, you can rely on us as your go-to address for all you need to know. Contact one of our consultants directly.
In Friesland the possibilities are endless. We are ready and happy to meet you.