In Wiesbaden, with the support of Hessen Trade&Invest, a roundtable titled “Kazakhstan - Hesse. Mechanical Engineering” was held. On the surface, it looked like another expert meeting. In reality - it was an important step toward deepening Germany’s industrial presence in Kazakhstan and opening the door to advanced technologies and new investments, DKNews.kz reports.
The main topic was the participation of German companies in the International Machinery Exhibition, which will take place in Astana in April 2026. But the discussion quickly went far beyond a single event.
The roundtable brought together representatives of government agencies, industry associations, financial institutions and leading German manufacturers to talk openly about long-term cooperation, localization and joint projects.
Why Hesse is looking toward Kazakhstan
The meeting was opened by Dr. Rainer Waldschmidt, Managing Director of Hessen Trade&Invest. He highlighted the growing interest of Hessian businesses in Central Asia, with Kazakhstan seen as a key entry point to the region.
The logic is clear:
- stable macroeconomic policy,
- predictable rules for investors,
- strong demand for modern industrial solutions,
- an active industrialization agenda.
Kazakhstan is increasingly viewed not only as a commodity supplier, but as a real production and assembly hub.
A signal to investors: Kazakhstan is a reliable partner
Kazakhstan’s Consul General in Frankfurt, Taubaldy Umbetbayev, and Embassy Counselor in Berlin, Mirzhan Baimakhanov, emphasized that Kazakhstan aims to be not just a sales market, but an industrial and investment partner.
They spoke about modernization, localization incentives and the potential for joint machinery projects.
How future projects will be financed
The financial block was particularly practical.
Marck Wengrzik, President of AKA Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft mbH, outlined financing tools for export and infrastructure projects. Eduard Kinsbruner from AHK Central Asia presented an overview of Kazakhstan’s business climate.
VDMA representative Monika Hollacher pointed out that Kazakhstan’s machinery sector is expanding faster than many expected, opening real opportunities for German companies.
Real cases and concrete plans
A presentation from SIEMAG TECBERG Group showed how German technology already operates successfully in the region.
The upcoming business mission of Hessian companies to Machinery Fair Kazakhstan in April 2026 was also introduced, giving businesses the chance to see the market first-hand.
What it means for Kazakhstan and Germany
The conclusion was clear: Hesse’s interest in Kazakhstan is not a short-term trend, but a strategic shift.
For Kazakhstan, this means:
- new technologies and equipment,
- development of local production,
- higher productivity and export capacity.
For Germany:
- access to new markets,
- participation in major industrial projects,
- stronger strategic presence in Central Asia.
The roundtable in Wiesbaden was more than a discussion forum. It was a platform where future contracts, partnerships and production chains begin to take shape.
If the outlined plans move forward, mechanical engineering may become one of the main drivers of a new industrial dialogue between Kazakhstan and Hesse - from agriculture and water technologies to mining and heavy industry.
