In search of suitable explanations and numbers, everyone quickly ends up with Jens Becker, economist at NRW-Bank based in Düsseldorf. He knows the analyses, the numbers, and he says: “Most hidden champions are created in rural areas because there is not the same pressure to size as in metropolises like Cologne.” And even more important: “The mostly family-run companies often grow in secret and focus strongly on a niche that they perfect and thus become the world market leader over the decades. This is exactly what we see in Olpe as an example.”
Also read: Auto supplier Kostal – Retreat from the Sauerland
There used to be huts in the region around which metal construction settled. There was also a focus on mechanical engineering and the automotive sector. Unlike in the Ruhr area, most companies have not become listed conglomerates with crazy takeover battles, but have remained family-run to this day. According to Becker, this leads to a certain bond with the region: “If possible, family businesses in particular prefer to invest in Attendorn than in Philadelphia or Shenzhen,” explains the economist at NRW-Bank, explaining the growth of so many world market leaders in Olpe.