VI. Cluster ConferenceOpatija, 22.11.2012

Financing of cluster activities from EU funds – Slovenian Experience

Slovenia is the third most wooded country in EU, with 1.2 million ha of forests, or 62% of Slovenia.

The growing stock of Slovenian forests amounts to 322,194,929 cubic metres (coniferous trees 46.62%, deciduous trees 53.38%).

In Slovenian forests there is an annual increment of 7,868,521 cubic metres of wood.

The cut falls behind the possible one and it amounts to 70% of it and 40% of current increment.

The Forest based branch is ranked among sectors of priority for Slovenia!

WOOD AS BASIS FOR DEVELOPMENT

WOOD PROCESSING AND FURNITURE BRANCH

In Slovenian WP&F Industry (C16 in C31) around 886 companies were operated in 2011 which revenue generated amounted to 1.005 million EUR. This represent around 4,3% of revenue generated in production sector C.

In the Slovenian WP&F Industry around 11.950 workers were employed in the year 2011. This represent around 7,2% of all employees in production sector C.

Main export/import markets:

EU and Balcan

E Europa, Russia and CE Asia

Mediterran and Middle East

BRIC

WOOD PROCESSING AND FURNITURE BRANCHThe main export articles:

Residence Furniture (kitchens, rooms, upholstery, chairs and

tables,..)

Prefabricated wooden houses

Building Joinery (windows, doors,..)

Wood based panels, glued construction elements, veneer, ..

Custom made furniture for objects / Engineering

Primary wood products (sawn wood and elements, biomass,..)

The Wood Industry Cluster (WIC) was established by wood-processing and forestry companies in the year 2000 with aim to enhancing cooperation between manufacturers and research institutions and carrying out common R&D projects to strengthening theirs competitive position.

Slovenia had active cluster development programme in years 2000-2003. After government changes the Cluster policy and development programme stopped in 2005.

CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of the WIC is to facilitate cooperation between companies and R&D institutions, with the aim of strengthening theirs competitive position.

The main fields of WIC activities are;• Organizing and leading of common projects for groups of

companies.• Carrying out support actions for cluster members.• Participating in international projects.• Facilitating participation of the companies in the EU R&D

programs.• Providing Technology Transfer, exploitation of RTD and

innovations in to the companies.• Support to internationalization of the cluster members• Organizing trainings

PURPOSE

After the national Cluster development programme stopped, the main part of newly established clusters cease down activities and just few clusters survive until today. All surviving clusters assure existence with trainings, internationalization and RTD funds (mainly EU).

Today WIC sources of financing are 100% from projects and from activities for cluster members.

Recently, 27+90 companies and 5 of the most important sector research and educational institutions are WIC members. WIC members jointly contribute at different projects, which are chosen in accordance with the needs of member companies.

There exist very close relationship between WIC and CCIS-Wood Processing and Furniture Association. Namely WIC provide for CCIS-WPFA service of project management, some research and organization of events.

CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

2000-2002 2003-2005 2006-2008 2009-2011

Grants - SIGrants - EUBusiness incomesMemberships

FINANCING

CLUSTER POLICY CEASE DOWN

FIRST EU PROJECTS

EXPANDING PROJECT

ACTIVITIES

PROGRAMME FINANCING PROJECT FINANCING

CONNECTION WITH BRANCH ASSOCIATION

To be successfully in accessing the EU funds;• Clarify what benefits for the membership you will follow in EU

projects• Take decision to take active part in EU project, aware your

members, assure appropriate human resources• Look around for suitable programmes, funds and calls• Join to adequate networks, EU associations,.. to become part of

active networks which generate proposals. Also some luck needed.• Be a good partner and good learner, acquire confidence of

networks members. Become familiar with the EU projects schemes.• Take care to achieve you primary goals (funds, knowledge, new

projects,..)• Transfer new knowledge to your members, bridge RTD<->Business

gap.• Be courage and persistant

EU FUNDS

WIC has organized and coordinated over 50 collective projects and several hundred meetings/trainings/events till now.

Beside this WIC has been involved in several international projects from 6.FP, 7.FP, Eureka, LdV, CORNET Era-Net, SEE Programme,... on some of them WIC act as coordinator.

It has established close contacts with most of existing Slovenian educational, research, development and supporting organizations and international networks in forest-based sectors.

The professional WIC office staffs have more than 22 years of working

experience in the wood-working sector, especially in the fields of technology, project management, R&D, clustering and in TQM.

They have also an international certificate for project management awarded by International project management association – IPMA.

EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCE

NETWORKNIGWIC take part in several networks:

• Southeast and Central European Network of Forest-Based Clusters

• TriNet Innovation Hub – interdisciplinary network of wood, construction and polymere clusters.

• Slovenian National Center of Clusters and Networks

• Slovenian Forest-Based Technology Platform

• The Innovawood – European network to supporting transfer of innovation in the Forest, Wood-based and Furniture industries sector

• WoodWisdom Era Net - European R&D network on the field of Forestry and Wood processing

REFERENCES

WIC has considerable experiences in the field of collaborating in and managing of international RTD projects.

At the moment we are involved in 6 ongoing RTD projects.

ID:WOOD

REFERENCES

WIC has collaborated also in several branch strategical activities;

• Strategy of development of Slovenian wood processing and furniture branch (2000)

• The Slovenian Forest-Based Technology Platform(2005)

• Consolidation of the branch network of supporting organizations (2008-2009)

• Starting points for the restructuring of Slovenian wood-processing industry (2011)

• Action plan to increase the competitiveness of the forest-wood chain in Slovenia in 2020 (2012)

CONTACTS

Dimiceva 131504 Ljubljana, Slovenia

T: +386 1 5898 284F: +386 1 5898 100

E-mail: grozd@sloles.comWeb: http://cluster.sloles.com

Mr Igor Milavec, Director

Mr Bernard Likar, Advisor