North Rhine-Westphalia is an important investment location for companies from around the globe and is home to numerous hidden champions with international growth potential. Today, Mona Neubaur, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, and Felix Neugart, CEO of the state's foreign trade promotion agency, are honoring four exceptional companies with the NRW.Global Business AWARD 2025: the Dutch chemicals group LyondellBasell, the Estonian outdoor food specialist Tactical Solutions, the Turkish technology company Laser ISSE and the Herbed-based wood products company Jörn Brenscheidt from Witten. The award recognizes significant investments by international companies in North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as successful internationalization projects by North Rhine-Westphalian companies.
Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy: “The companies we are honoring today demonstrate impressively what North Rhine-Westphalia stands for as a business location: bold ideas, technological innovation and a commitment to sustainable action, both locally and globally. From creative food ideas from Estonia to recycling pioneers from the Netherlands, high-tech from Turkey and excellent craftsmanship from Witten, they all contribute to actively shaping the transition to a climate-friendly, digital and internationally networked economy. With the NRW.Global Business Award, we are honoring precisely this commitment and sending a strong signal: North Rhine-Westphalia is the right place for the future.”
Felix Neugart, CEO of NRW.Global Business: "This year's award winners once again demonstrate how investment and internationalization are preparing NRW for the future, whether through technological excellence, sustainable production methods, or social benefits. I am particularly pleased that we are honoring a skilled crafts company for the first time this year – proof that internationalization affects not only industry and corporations, but also SMEs worldwide."
The award-winning companies in 2025 at a glance:
LyondellBasell (Netherlands), Wesseling: The chemicals group LyondellBasell is promoting the circular economy in North Rhine-Westphalia through an ambitious recycling project. The company is building a chemical recycling plant based on its MoReTec technology in Wesseling, its largest European site. This technology can convert a wide variety of plastic waste into high-quality raw materials. The project is accompanied by the construction of a state-of-the-art sorting center at the Hürth site. Both projects are powered entirely by renewable energy and will enable a recycling rate of at least 80%. With a total investment of over 300 million euros, LyondellBasell is establishing North Rhine-Westphalia as a leading location for innovative plastic recycling in Europe.
Tactical Solutions (Estonia), Hilden: The Estonian company Tactical Solutions has been producing freeze-dried specialty food for outdoor and crisis operations in Hilden since 2024. Originally developed for extreme situations, the process guarantees a shelf life of eight years while preserving the food's taste, structure and nutrients without the use of preservatives. The company is based in North Rhine-Westphalia and sells its products in 24 countries, supplying the military, aid organizations, schools and hospitals. Over 100,000 meals have also been provided to Ukraine. More than 30 jobs have been created at the Hilden site. Through energy-efficient production and significant social benefits, Tactical Solutions is making an important contribution to sustainable supply and resilience.
Laser ISSE (Turkey), Duisburg: Headquartered in Istanbul, Laser ISSE specializes in sophisticated industrial laser applications for over 20 sectors of industry, including cutting, welding, engraving and laser cleaning. By establishing a European branch in Duisburg in 2023 and setting up its own sales, development and service structure, Laser ISSE is clearly signaling its commitment to North Rhine-Westphalia as a production location. Laser ISSE manages its growing European business from Duisburg. With robotics, intelligent control systems and its own laser laboratory, Laser ISSE is strengthening industrial transformation and research on the ground. The site will expand in the future to include the Research & Development department.
Herbeder Holzwarenkontor Jörn Brenscheidt (NRW), Witten: Herbeder Holzwarenkontor Jörn Brenscheidt (Hokon) from Witten is the first craft business to receive the NRW.Global Business AWARD. The company manufactures high-quality wooden staircases and realizes complex projects worldwide. It achieved international fame with the world's largest free-standing wooden staircase for a bank in Norway. What began as a regional craft business has become a globally active company with branches and showrooms in Europe, Asia and the United States. Already, 80 percent of its revenue is generated abroad. Hokon is consistently expanding its global network with new branches – an international success story of the North Rhine-Westphalian trade.
Download group photo of all award winners
Caption (from left to right): Mona Neubaur, Minister of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia; Dr. Daniel Koch, Site Manager of Wesseling-Knapsack LyondellBasell; Burak Celikkaya, Managing Partner of Laser ISSE Europe; Sverre Puustusmaa, CEO of Tactical Solutions; Jörn Brenscheidt, Managing Director of Herbeder Holzwarenkontor; Kerstin Feix, Vice President of the Dortmund Chamber of Crafts; Kalvi Normägi, Minister of the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia; Hannah Tijmes, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Düsseldorf; Aziz Sariyar, Chairman of the Board of ATIAD; Felix Neugart, CEO of NRW.Global Business GmbH. © NRW.Global Business/Jan Tepass