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Increasing the competitiveness of members of the Slovak Plastic Cluster (SPK).
Published on 16 December 2019
Slovakia
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About this good practice
Slovak Plastic Cluster in their recently approved medium term strategy identified that an area that needs urgent improvement is internationalization with the aim to share and gain knowledge, experience and skills needed to better place their product and services on international markets and be better involved in academia-business cooperation, support of research teams, applied research, transfer of international best practices from circular economy into local and regional level.
With the goal to improve internationalization of the Cluster and cluster members, SPK has decided to increase the level of involvement of cluster organization and the quality standards of the organization, utilizing ClusterFY project to:
- Gain knowledge about cluster management organization in Spain (Region Castilla dela Mancha) – two cluster member employees participated on the study trip within the project meeting
- Actively participate at Cluster Stakeholder Working Group, established within ClusterFY project in Slovakia with the aim to improve existing policy measures (state aid scheme de minimis)
- Achieve higher level of ESCA certification, applying for Silver Cluster Management Excellence Label.
With the goal to improve internationalization of the Cluster and cluster members, SPK has decided to increase the level of involvement of cluster organization and the quality standards of the organization, utilizing ClusterFY project to:
- Gain knowledge about cluster management organization in Spain (Region Castilla dela Mancha) – two cluster member employees participated on the study trip within the project meeting
- Actively participate at Cluster Stakeholder Working Group, established within ClusterFY project in Slovakia with the aim to improve existing policy measures (state aid scheme de minimis)
- Achieve higher level of ESCA certification, applying for Silver Cluster Management Excellence Label.
Resources needed
SPK applied for a grant from the state aid scheme to achieve its internationalization goals financing visits to Zwolle, Amsterdam, and Kottingbrunn, in 1.Q 2020; budget 10.000 €, approved grant 7.000 €, co-financing 30%.
Evidence of success
International visits are confirmed, state aid (grant) have been approved and Cluster is now finishing its Silver certification file.
Potential for learning or transfer
Internationalization is not an automatic and easy going process.
Several steps must be done and financing of them is very important. So it is very important to know local policy measures, try to improve them, and participate at every possible call, even if it has not a good timing.
For better positioning for EU funded initiatives and programs, Cluster Management Excellence certificate is also very important, and higher the level of certification, the better position for cluster to get prospective partners for international projects.
Several steps must be done and financing of them is very important. So it is very important to know local policy measures, try to improve them, and participate at every possible call, even if it has not a good timing.
For better positioning for EU funded initiatives and programs, Cluster Management Excellence certificate is also very important, and higher the level of certification, the better position for cluster to get prospective partners for international projects.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Slovak Plastic Cluster
Slovakia
Západné Slovensko
Contact
Director of Dpt.