Oldenzaal

Entrepreneurial Oldenzaal can be found between Enschede, Hengelo and the German border. It can be found right next to the A1 motorway, a road that connects to the west of the country, Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Oldenzaal also has international train connections.

Entrepreneurial Oldenzaal is particularly popular with transport entrepreneurs. The metal industry and wholesale activities are also strongly represented in the business community. Entrepreneurial Oldenzaal is investing in the expansion and sustainability of existing business parks and the development of new business parks to meet the growing demand for business locations. More locations for newcomers have been created at business park Hazewinkel Noord-West, for example. A lot of attention is given to the design of public space and sustainability. For example, the business park has a green zone that runs through it and is part of the main ecological structure.

An up-to-date view of Oldenzaal with background information on business activity and sustainability can be found on the dashboard of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten, VNG):

• Economic activity in Oldenzaal
• Sustainability in Oldenzaal

Besides the city, recreational park Het Hulsbeek is located in the surrounding area of Oldenzaal. It is the gateway to the national landscape of Northeast Twente. Oldenzaal has approximately 32,000 inhabitants.

For more information, check out:

• The Municipality of Oldenzaal
• Business Association Eekte Hazewinkel
• Employers’ Association Oldenzaal aan de slag (Oldenzaal at work)
• Business Association Hazewinkel Northwest Oldenzaal

The Municipality of Oldenzaal has grand ambitions when it comes to sustainability. The aim is to be completely energy-neutral by 2025. The municipality has set a great example with solar panels on the town hall, for instance, and lights that only turn on when people are present in a room. Companies can use an ‘environmental barometer’ to determine how and where they can reduce their environmental burden and energy consumption and save costs. The Oldenzaals Energiefonds (Oldenzaal Energy Fund) has been set up to provide financial support for these projects. The Stichting Duurzaam Oldenzaal (Sustainable Oldenzaal Foundation) also encourages companies to use sustainable energy. This foundation helps residents with launching sustainable initiatives. The municipality of Oldenzaal aims to be one of the 25 most sustainable municipalities.

De Glimlach van Twente

The city of Oldenzaal is also known as ‘de Glimlach van Twente’ (Twente’s Smile). Oldenzaal is very cosy, offers plenty of entertainment and has an excellent reputation for culture and events. Oldenzaal is the carnival capital of Twente, for example; no other place in the eastern part of the Netherlands celebrates carnival as exuberantly as here. The carnival parade attracts more than 100,000 visitors from all over the country every year. Numerous other events also contribute to the festive reputation of Oldenzaal, such as music festivals, street theatre festivals and Twente Ballooning.

Oldenzaal has an attractive town centre where you can find the St. Plechelmus Basilica, the Groote Markt with its extensive ranges of cafés and restaurants, cosy shopping streets and modern shopping centres. The natural surroundings also offer plenty of recreational opportunities, such as at Het Hulsbeek, a wooded area with a recreational lake.

For more information, check out:

• Oldenzaal for tourists
• Culture in Oldenzaal