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SHBC Services

The Schleswig-Holstein Business Centre (SHBC), represented by IGEP in India, provides a wide array of services designed to support companies from Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg in establishing and expanding their business activities in India. Our services are tailored to meet the specific needs of companies at various stages of their market entry and business operations. Below is an overview of the key services offered by SHBC:

Market Entry Support

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Potential SHBC Members: We help clients understand the current Indian market conditions for their products or services. This includes preparing comprehensive market studies before they enter the market, ensuring they have a clear understanding of their opportunities.
SHBC Members:

  • Joint Venture Facilitation: We assist SHBC members in identifying suitable joint venture partners in India.

  • Legal and Commercial Assistance: Our services extend to providing legal and commercial support to help set up subsidiaries in India, including assistance with accounting, payroll, and banking after the company is established.

  • Technical Support: For companies involved in supplying or upgrading equipment at client sites in India, we provide technical support, including manpower and equipment.

Additional Member Benefits:

  • Dedicated IGEP Employee: A qualified IGEP employee is dedicated exclusively to promoting the company’s business, following a work plan provided by IGEP.

  • Office Support: Telephone, email, and a nameplate of the company can be provided within the scheme.

  • Trade Fair Participation:  Assistance in participating in trade fairs in India. Business Partner Identification: We help identify competent Indian business partners and initial business contacts.

  • Market Segment Guidance: Guidance on identifying the most promising market segments and building a strategy around initial entry with minimal investment.

  • Data Collection:  We provide information on local taxation, import duties, legal matters, and government policies.

Office-in-Office concept

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The Office-in-Office concept offers Schleswig-Holstein companies a flexible and cost-effective solution to establish a presence in India. By setting up a small office within the SHBC center in Gurgaon (Delhi NCR), companies can operate a representative or branch office with the following benefits:

  • Dedicated Workspace: Companies receive their own workspace, complete with a desk, telephone, fax, and a unique address.

  • Bookkeeping and Administration: Special bookkeeping services are provided by IGEP, along with supervision of the employee by IGEP in coordination with the company.

  • Cost Efficiency: Nominal costs, depending on the salary for one or two employees and office-related expenses.

  • Full-Time Employee Option: Companies can hire a full-time employee with IGEP’s assistance, who will be on IGEP’s payroll, reimbursed by the German company.

Sales Channel Management

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For many German companies, particularly SMEs, establishing a full branch or subsidiary in India may not be justifiable. In such cases, SHBC offers an attractive alternative through Sales Channel Management:

  • Improved Communications: As a member of the SHBC pool, IGEP acts as an interface between the company and its customers in India, ensuring timely communication and addressing specific needs.

  • After-Sales Service: IGEP provides after-sales service management, supervising local engineers trained by the company but on IGEP’s payroll.

Engineering Support

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Members of the SHBC can avail of engineering support from IGEP to implement their projects in India successfully. This support is provided in the form of:

  • Supply of requisite technical manpower for the duration of the projects. IGEP will vet the technical competency of the personnel and ensure that they possess the required documents (such as insurance coverage, identity proof, technical qualifications, etc) to work at the project/customer site.  IGEP will also ensure that the personnel adhere to all safety protocols and are equipped with the mandatory PPEs.

  • Hiring of equipment for the duration of project execution.  This equipment can be in the form of forklift trucks, scissor lifts, toolboxes for unpacking of equipment, or any other equipment as desired by the SHBC members. 

  • Post-installation support can be in the form of providing trained engineers to handle post-installation troubleshooting, regular maintenance, and calibration of machines.

  • IGEP will ensure local payments to all local vendors including GST (goods and services tax) and get reimbursement directly from the SHBC member. This will help the SHBC members avoid local taxation issues. 

China + 1 Strategy Implementation

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The Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing trade rivalry between the US and China have highlighted the need for companies to diversify their supply chains outside of China. This trend called the China + One strategy, is expected to continue for a few years. In this regard, India has emerged as one of the countries that has been identified as a potential source for many products. 
 

These visits include identifying and organizing meetings with suitable suppliers, local logistic arrangements, hotel accommodations, and flight bookings inside India.  All the organization and arrangements are planned and organized by IGEP in advance in consultation with the company. 

 

IGEP has successfully facilitated exploratory visits from many companies from Schleswig-Holstein to identify suitable alternative suppliers in India. As a result, they have been able to successfully de-risk their international supply chains with respect to a few products. In the future, many more companies are expected to look at India as an alternative supply source. 

University / Research Collaborations

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IGEP facilitates collaboration opportunities between universities in Schleswig-Holstein and leading Indian universities and research establishments. These collaborations focus on:
 

  • Research Projects: Joint research initiatives between German and Indian institutions.

  • Person-to-Person Exchanges: Facilitation of academic exchanges between institutions.

  • Joint Academic Programs: Development of joint programs that benefit both German and Indian academic communities.

  • Relationship Management: IGEP helps develop and maintain relationships between joint research teams and external stakeholders.

  • Legal Assistance: Support in filing and registering Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for project outcomes and managing other legal activities in India.

  • Project Management: Assistance with time planning, supervision, milestone definition, and progress reporting.

Welcome Center – Schleswig-Holstein

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From left to right: Sunniva Först, Alexandra Hüssler, Andreas Wilken, Jakub Czarnecki, Marieke Fischer, Matthias Guist.
Source – Businessland 2024

Due to persistent labour shortages, the German government passed a law on 1st March 2024, called the Skilled Worker Immigration Law. This new law has now expanded the opportunities for skilled workers from non-EU states to come to Germany to take up employment. To facilitate this process, visa applications for candidates meeting the requisite qualifications have been simplified.
 

For IT specialists, under this new law, access to the labour market is further facilitated by reducing the required professional experience to two years (from three).

Professionals in the following streams are also in good demand:

  • Manufacturing, mining, construction, or distribution managers

  • Information and communications technology service managers

  • Professional services managers, such as child care or health services managers

  • Veterinarians

  • Dentists

  • Pharmacists

  • Nursing or midwifery professionals

  • School and out-of-school teachers and educators

By 2035, a skills gap of at least 180,000 people is forecast for Schleswig-Holstein.  To close this skills gap with international talent, the WTSH has opened a new department called Welcome Center – Schleswig-Holstein. Further information is available at this link - https://welcomecenter-sh.de/

The center supports medium-sized and small companies in Schleswig-Holstein that want to hire or already employ skilled workers from abroad. The center offers a range of services and support, including advice on entry and residence regulations, family reunification, and information on access to the German labour market. IGEP is working closely with the Welcome Center – Schleswig-Holstein to facilitate the supply of qualified Indian professionals seeking opportunities in Schleswig-Holstein.

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