Business sectors
The municipality is characterized by an ongoing drive for growth and renewal. Originally a farming area, Haarlemmermeer has developed rapidly since 1945, witnessing a boom in airport-related activities, with new residential areas and business locations springing up, along with the necessary infrastructure. Haarlemmermeer currently boasts around 8,000 businesses, employing around 116,000 people. Schiphol alone provides work for more than 61,000 people. Around 70% of these jobs are held by people from outside the municipality. In terms of employment, the airline industry currently tops the bill, followed by the business services sector, trade and transport. Other key sectors include clean, high-value industries such as ict, medical technology and electronics. The municipality is currently devoting extra attention to the growth, development and innovation of the local business sector.
Office locations and business park
Haarlemmermeer has ample room for enterprise, offering a wide range of highly accessible office locations and business parks. Most of these date from the 1990s, but new business locations are being developed, boasting state-of-the-art infrastructure and ict facilities. In designing these locations, a great deal of attention is devoted to the quality of public space and the availability of facilities such as sports clubs, shops and catering establishments. All of these high-quality, sustainable business locations have park management bureaus and offer a good price-quality ratio.
Mobility
Owing to the proximity of Schiphol airport, the authorities are keen to sustain investment in local infrastructure. Haarlemmermeer has high-frequency rail links with Amsterdam, Leiden and The Hague, and both the national and provincial authorities have invested a great deal in the road network. The municipality also boasts the Zuidtangent, a unique commuter bus route, linking the Central Station in Haarlem with Schiphol and the business and residential districts of Amsterdam-Zuidoost and IJburg.
Quality of life and welfare
With a population of over 140,000, Haarlemmermeer ranks among the twenty largest municipalities in the Netherlands. It is a typical growth area, with lots of families and relatively few senior citizens. The residential environments are diverse, ranging from rural and traditional settings in the smaller villages, to modern and compact homes in the carefully designed, spacious Vinex housing estates. Owing to the high employment level, the average disposable income is high. There are plenty of childcare facilities in Haarlemmermeer. The municipality always scores high in surveys assessing quality-of-life and appeal. Haarlemmermeer has numerous active associations for entrepreneurs and retailers, where business people meet, arrange activities and ensure that their municipal and political interests are protected. It is therefore hardly surprising that many businesses are keen to establish themselves within the municipality.