American companies have become a big target for German corporations. The buying spree has totaled close to $65 billion this year. Last year it totaled a mere $3.7 billion. This coincides with a six-fold increase of European businesses buying out United States businesses.

With European sanctions against Russia, corporations are looking toward the U.S. European companies are chasing deals that promise growth and safety, outside of the debt-impaired European Union.

“Uncertainty about the long-term economic outlook for Europe is motivating companies to seek locations abroad for future investments, and North America is still one of the key targets for that,” Christoph Kaserer said, a professor and head of the department of financial management and capital markets at Munich’s Technische Universitaet. “We’ve already seen a number of such deals and there’s more to come for sure.”

Last month, four German companies agreed to buy American companies. The biggest was Merck KGaA’s acquisition of Sigma Alrich for $17 billion. Merck wants to expand its research lab and pharmaceutical chemicals. The purchase is “a quantum leap” for Merk as it has been “under represented in the U.S.,” Merck Chief Executive Karl-Ludwig said.

Siemens Chief Executive Joe Kaeser aims to capitalize on the American shale-gas boom to build his company’s presence in the U.S. energy market. The acquisition of Dresser-Rand, for $6.5 billion, allows Siemens to be “seen and heard and known in the greater Houston environment.” Acquiring Dresser-Rand, which produces compressors, turbines and other rotating equipment, allows Siemens to expand its gas extracting capabilities.

Another notable German corporate takeover this month was ZF Friedrichshafen’s purchase of trw Automotive, one of America’s largest auto suppliers. The $12.4 billion acquisition makes ZF Friedrichshafen the world’s second-largest automotive supplier after another German automotive giant, Robert Bosch GmbH. “The major motivation for this transaction is technology-driven and to serve markets in the field of electro-mobility and autonomous driving,” ZF Chief Executive Stefan Sommer said.

Germany’s corporate buying spree this month also saw the world’s third-largest independent software manufacturer, sap, purchase Concur Technologies for $8.6 billion.

Record low interest rates in Europe have helped fuel the recent German buying spree. Ulrich Huwald, an analyst at Warburg Research in Hamburg, said, “Interest rates can’t get much lower; it’s time to make a move.”

German corporations are reaching beyond their nation’s borders to gain control of strategic industry. To understand why this is significant, read Trumpet columnist Robert Morley’s article “Germany’s Corporate Blitzkrieg.”