When looking for a location to invest in a production facility, a research center or an office building, companies need to consider numerous factors. There is an increasing competition among locations for investments but it is not just the growth perspectives of the market, the quality of infrastructure or the attractiveness of frame conditions that tip the scales in favor of one location. In times of growing geopolitical uncertainty and economic volatility, investors and entrepreneurs are also looking for a “safe haven” to put their money in.

Investors may compare locations not only by their “hard facts” but also — so to say — their “soft skills”. As, for instance, the availability of workforce is becoming increasingly crucial, employers have to go the extra mile in order to attract highly qualified specialists. Therefore, choosing the ideal location will make staffing and operating easier. A region or country’s quality of life, climate and landscape, its level of personal security, the efficiency of the health system, and the reliability of public transport may in the long run outweigh some shortfalls on the economic or financial side.

In this 2015 edition of ‘Regions & Locations Guide‘ we are again focusing on investment and operating conditions in regional markets, countries, chemical and life-science clusters as well as industrial and chemical parks. With substantiated market reports and location profiles, our annual special issue of CHEManager International provides essential information for investors from the global process industry and assists strategic decision makers in facilitating investment decisions.