Rezekne SEZ acquires the Polish experience in the development of industrial areas
In early December, the management and supervisory board of the “RSEZ Special Economic Zone Administration” (RSEZ) visited Mazpolia region in Poland, where it was possible to explore the experience of development of industrial areas and technological parks in Krakow and its neighbourhood. Mr Elhusband Pizane, Vice-Chairman of the Rēzekne District Council, also participated in the exchange of experience.
Mazpolia is one of 16 Polish regions located in the southern part of the country and borders Slovakia. The capital of the region, Krakova, is known as an important centre for science and culture, with approximately eight million people living in it. Over 350 000 different farms are active in the region, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, which are potentially co-operating and trading partners in areas such as food production, construction, tourism, information technology, chemical production and engineering.
As part of the visit, a valuable experience was gained during meeting with representatives of the Mazpolia Regional Business Centre and a visit to Krakow Technology Park, which is also the operator of the special economic zone. A particularly striking visit was “Life Sciences Cluster”, which in 2006 brought together a number of educational institutions, including Jagellonian University, local and regional authorities in order to develop scientific links with entrepreneurship. Modern buildings with the latest technological laboratories suitable for research and the creation of new products in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetology and elsewhere have been co-financed by the European Union. It is a successful example of modern technologies, long-term planning and thinking, the ability to see development opportunities giving positive economic growth.
As a successful example of municipal and business cooperation in Mazpoli region, the Municipality of Niepołomice should be mentioned. It is located 25 kilometres from Krakowa, only 11 thousand people in the city, but it is the largest industrial zone in Poland. The municipality has identified industrial areas several years ago and invested in engineering infrastructure, an ambitious project for purchasing real estate, consolidating them and thus attracting large international investors and companies. Many multinational companies are now active in this industrial zone, including companies such as the truck manufacturer “ME”, the beverage producer “Coca-Cola”, the animal feed producer Royal Canin and others. One of these companies, who had an opportunity to visit the visit, is also the company Nidec, which has invested in Japanese capital and which produces engines and energy converters for the automotive industry.
The Rēzekne SEZ manager Sandra Ejgar emphasizes that “such visits always make it possible to look at many things from another point of view, understand what we can do otherwise or better, which is our strengths and what we can learn.”
The visit was organised in collaboration with Latgale Planning Region Latgale Business Centre and the Mazpolia Region Administration in the framework of the Interregional Cooperation Agreement signed in 2013. At the same time, a delegation of Latgale entrepreneurs, including representatives of the Rēzekne SEZ company “DFD”, was also staying in the Mazpolia region for the purpose of trade mission, in order to search for co-operation partners for exports of products produced in Latvia and to draw on the experience of small business and farm development.
Prepared by: Skaidrite Baltace, public relations consultant
Other information:
Sandra Angeles, manager of P/i “RSEZ Board”,
Tel. 64625941, e-mail address: info@rsez.lv,
www.rsez.lv