At the pinnacle of information technology

Saarbrücker Zeitung, February 23, 2006, Thomas Sponticcia

Dacos boss Joachim Hertel: Science Park 3 in Saarbrücken forest looks set to become a billboard for the industry soon.

Saarland has what it takes to become Germany's number one location for information technology (IT), as long as the federal state government improves some of the local amenities, according to Professor Joachim Hertel, managing partner of Dacos Software GmbH.

Within the next ten years, Saarland could become Germany's number one location for information technology (IT). Professor Joachim Hertel, managing director of Dacos Software GmbH, is convinced of this. However, this is reliant upon the federal state government bringing in a package of improvements to the quality of the location, said Hertel in an interview with this newspaper. Astute implementation of these improvements would result in a doubling of jobs in the Saarland IT industry, from 10,000 employees today to 20,000, predicts Hertel, whose company is based in Science Park 2 at Saarland University.

These improvements would include swift completion of the Science Park 3 project in Saarbrücken forest, much stronger specialisation for the university, substantially better flight and rail connections to and from Saarbrücken, and a more appealing program of cultural events, which would create a positive image for the region nationally and attract more people to it. Appealing cultural attractions are essential to the choice of a location. Also the quality of the education must be outstanding, stresses Hertel.