What does it take for German and international companies to grow in the U.S. market today?
At the 2026 SME Business Development Conference in Charlotte, the answer was clear: growth is no longer defined by market entry alone. It depends on the ability to build locally, adapt quickly, invest in people, and make technology work in practical, measurable ways.
Hosted by GACC South, this year’s conference brought together business leaders, manufacturers, service providers, economic development experts, and transatlantic partners for a full day of discussion on the decisions shaping expansion in the Southeastern United States.
The program opened with remarks from Matthias Hoffmann, President & CEO of GACC South, Crispin Teufel, CEO of National Seating & Mobility and Chairman of GACC South, and Consul General Melanie Moltmann. The morning keynote by Kenny Flowers, Chief Deputy Secretary at the North Carolina Department of Commerce, highlighted North Carolina’s continued economic growth, workforce priorities, supply chain resilience, and the state’s strong ties to German industry.
Growth Starts with the Right Foundation
Throughout the day, one theme came up again and again: companies cannot separate growth strategy from execution.
In the session on Strategic Site Selection and Workforce Planning, speakers discussed how location decisions are increasingly tied to workforce availability, benefits strategies, customer proximity, regional support, and long-term operational resilience. For companies entering or expanding in the U.S., choosing a site is no longer just a real estate decision. It is a people, market, and infrastructure decision.
The New Normal Requires Resilience by Design
The panel Navigating the New Normal explored how German-owned middle market companies are responding to tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs of capital, and shifting supply chains. Despite these pressures, many companies continue to invest in U.S.-based manufacturing as part of a broader move toward resilience and “Made in the U.S.” strategies.
A key takeaway from the discussion: successful companies are not only reacting to disruption. They are redesigning their operations, supply chains, and talent strategies to remain competitive long term.
Technology Must Elevate People
Across sessions on smart manufacturing, robotics, automation, and AI, the message was not that technology replaces people. It was that technology works best when people are part of the process.
Speakers emphasized the importance of walking the floor, listening to teams, understanding operational challenges firsthand, and building solutions around real needs. From digital twins and computer-vision safety to AI-supported decision-making, the strongest applications are the ones that create alignment across departments and help teams work better.
As one attendee noted after the conference,
Technology should elevate people, not replace them.
Local Advantage Means Local Commitment
The session Local Advantage: Building Competitive Production in the Southeastern United States focused on what it really means to manufacture locally. The discussion went beyond general trends and addressed the practical realities companies face today: building reliable supplier networks, managing cost pressure, improving productivity, and understanding regional differences across the Southeast.
One clear insight emerged: local advantage is not created by opening a temporary beachhead. It is built through long-term commitment to the region, the workforce, and the community.
Supply Chains Need Proactive Thinking
The supply chain discussion reinforced that logistics remains, at its core, a people-driven business. Relationships, responsiveness, and tailored solutions still matter. At the same time, companies are navigating greater complexity around tariffs, regulations, geopolitical tension, and administrative requirements.
Speakers also pointed to the growing role of AI, automation, and data tools in tracking, forecasting, and reducing manual work. But technology alone is not enough. Companies need to diversify supplier networks, seek specialized expertise, and prepare for disruption as a constant part of the operating environment.
AI as a Practical Thinking Partner
The keynote AI for SMEs: Practical, People-First Strategies to Elevate Execution addressed how small and mid-sized companies can begin using AI in ways that are realistic and valuable. The focus was not on replacing teams, but on helping leaders use AI as a thinking partner, improving decision-making, reducing administrative friction, and supporting better execution.
For SMEs, the opportunity lies in practical adoption: starting with specific use cases, involving the right people, and keeping business value at the center.
What SME 2026 Made Clear
The conversations at this year’s conference were candid, practical, and grounded in the realities companies are facing right now.
The future of growth belongs to companies that can combine strategy with execution, technology with trust, and expansion with local commitment.
Thank you to all speakers, moderators, sponsors, attendees, and partners who contributed to the 2026 SME Business Development Conference and helped make it a valuable platform for transatlantic business exchange.
See you at SME 2027 in Atlanta!
