City of Bloomington deepens international partnerships on European trade mission
Mayor Tim Busse and Community Development Director Kim Berggren represented the City of Bloomington on a state-led trade mission to Germany and Switzerland from November 15-22. The trip brought together leaders from across Minnesota to strengthen international business ties, support key industries and promote the state as a place for innovation and investment with stops in Zürich, Düsseldorf and Berlin.
Bloomington’s participation focused on supporting and growing its high-tech manufacturing sector, including specialized manufacturing in sensors and semiconductors. The City also used the trip to learn about international innovations in education and workforce development and to attend MEDICA, one of the world’s largest medical technology and healthcare conferences, alongside partners like Medical Alley. Finally, Bloomington deepened its understanding of how Minnesota promotes itself abroad. Tourism and hospitality are major parts of Bloomington’s economy and the city serves as a gateway for visitors to the region.
“Bloomington plays an important role in welcoming visitors, supporting business growth and helping companies connect to the region,” Berggren said. “This mission gave us a chance to share our strengths with international partners and to better understand how global engagement can support jobs and investment in our community.”
A key highlight of the trip was a visit to the global headquarters of SICK, a leader in industrial sensor technology, in Waldkirch, Germany. Busse and Berggren met with senior leadership, including CEO Mats Gökstorp, and discussed SICK’s strong presence in Bloomington and its worldwide plans. The visit recognized SICK’s $64 million expansion of its North American headquarters in Bloomington, in advance of a planned opening in spring of 2026.
The City will use information gathered on the trip and newly built relationships to support ongoing work in business outreach, workforce partnerships and economic development.