The visit built on existing ties through the twinning of Birmingham and Leipzig, and Coventry and Dresden.
The Sachsen Sail group, including businesses from a range of sectors, arrived by boat into Manchester and after a day in the North West headed to the Midlands.
In Birmingham, they were given a civic reception followed by a discussion on culture and creativity, a canal boat trip and a site visit to Digbeth Loc – home of Peaky Blinders and Masterchef Studios.
In Coventry, they were welcomed to the Council House to discuss trade and investment opportunities in the West Midlands, hearing from Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Corin Crane as well as Nick Colledge, CEO of Envisage Group.
That was followed by a visit to Elles – close to Coventry Railway Station – where they enjoyed a networking lunch with a range of businesses in the region, from manufacturers to creative and digital agencies.
Tim Cooper-Cocks, international trade adviser at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We were delighted to welcome partners from Saxony to Coventry and Warwickshire as part of a wider visit to the West Midlands region.
“The state’s economy is worth around 168 billion Euros and developing direct links can have a positive impact on both regions. The whole visit was about promoting potential trade, investment and business to business links.
“It also included an informal networking lunch at Elles that consisted of bangers and mash and gave businesses an opportunity to make new introductions with their overseas counterparts.
“I spoke to several businesses afterwards and they’d all made excellent connections which is what events like this are all about.”
Cllr Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: "Building strong international relationships like this creates exciting new prospects for Coventry's businesses, attracting investment and opening the door to future trade conversations.
“Germany is the UK's second-largest trading partner, offering significant potential for us to strengthen our relationship with the region of Saxony. By working more closely together, we can unlock new opportunities in advanced manufacturing and the creative industries that will benefit both regions.
“We are excited to build on the connections made during this visit and work with our partners to turn these discussions into meaningful collaborations that drive investment, support job opportunities and deliver economic growth for Coventry.”
Fiona Latter, Programme Manager at the WMCA, said: “The Sachsen Sail visit to Birmingham and Coventry provided business delegates from the region of Saxony with an opportunity to enjoy a deep dive into a number of sectors in the region most notably the creative industries, as well as the automotive and manufacturing sectors.
“Delegates were treated to a visit to Digbeth Loc as well as presentations from Nick Colledge, CEO of Envisage Group Limited, a globally recognised manufacturer based in Coventry. Conversations have already begun between West Midlands based businesses and delegates from the trip to explore a number of exciting new collaboration opportunities.”
Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Zaker Choudhry said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Sachsen Sail delegation to Birmingham and celebrate our strong ties with our sister city, Leipzig.
“The visit reinforced the enduring value of our international partnerships and the strong ties between our citizens. We look forward to building on the relationships established during this visit and creating new opportunities for investment and collaboration that benefit both cities.”
