On Semtember, 23, 1993, Tianjin and Jönköping became sister cities. Jönköping is a city in Småland in southern Sweden, this city, with 126,113(2009-05-09) people, is situated on the southern shore of Lake Vättern, in a strategic location between Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. It is the 9th most populous city of Sweden, the seat of Jönköping Municipality, and also the seat of Jönköping County.The city is a logistics hub for the whole of south Sweden, and historically, a centre for trade and commerce.This tradition is now carried on by the Elmia exhibition centre, today one of the most important venues for national and international conferences, events and trade fairs. Jönköping is in one of Sweden´s most economically prosperous regions. It is the centre of an attractive growth region and an area which is the most densely populated in Sweden in terms of existing business establishments and new entrepreneurial ventures. Trade and industry is well diversified and represents most industries. Major concerns, such as Husqvarna AB and SAAB have important operations here, as have IKEA, Fläkt Woods, VSM Group, Arla Foods, Telia and Kabe. Jönköping is well recognised for its pervasive spirit of entrepreneurial endeavour and success, and in the municipality, and the region as a whole, there are a vast variety of small and medium-sized companies. Presently, there are some 11,000 companies operating in and around Jönköping, of which 4,200 are noted public stock companies. Many telecom operators are also located in the area, and broadband services are accessible throughout the municipality. One of Jönköping´s major attractions is the vast A6 shopping mall which has some 9 million visitors each year. Jönköping´s geographical location is of strategic importance, not least for the logistics industry. This has contributed to the present development and position as a Nordic logistics centre. In addition, Jönköping is an important centre for trade, commerce and education. Through the Elmia exhibition centre, the city has become an internationally recognised venue for conferences, trade fairs, and events. Elmia specialises in arranging trade fairs for the environment, agriculture and forestry together with many specialised industrial sector exhibitions. Among these are internationally recognised major events, such as Elmia Subcontractor, Elmia Wood, which is the world´s largest forestry event, and DreamHack, the world´s largest LAN party. |