NEWSLETTER NO. 1: Project objectives DanubePIE supports SMEs through ecodesign related, technical services to: - optimize their products in order to make them more resource efficient and/or - to develop new, innovative products, which are well designed from ecological view. The traditional sectors packaging and printing packaging manufacturers as well as package end- users like food, cosmetics, electronic etc item producers are the target group and main beneficiaries of the project activities. Context : About Ecodesign The DanubePie strategy is to connect clusters or associations of creative industries with SME- clusters and SME- associations of various industrial branches like packaging industry, food, metals, plastics, cosmetics, bio- products, in order to work out eco- designed products and exchange opportunities and ideas together. In practice, thoses different players will be brought and linked together in roundtable forums, where discussions on eco- design needs of the manufacturers as well as on eco- design opportunities from the creative perspective will lead to relevant input forfurther joint product developments. Figure: Cross- Clustering = Inter- sectoral learning and cooperation Page1
Activities and benefits for SMEs Services to SMEs will be offered in close cooperation with product designers: - Evaluation of business model performance - Strategy development - Product improvements - Life Cycle Assessment - Product Carbon Footprint - Env. laws and regulations - Standard development - Trainings, Workshops The project pursues a cross- cluster approach between clusters from creative industry (product design, industrial design) and industry from different sectors in form of round tables for creative idea generation. SMEs can benefit from - direct exchange and cooperation with product and industrial designers as well as other technical experts in resource ecodesign and efficient technologies - company visits with individual, hands on and tailor made technical support and product analysis on the basis of ecodesign - in- house trainings and workshops for SME associations in applicable ecodesign related topics - round tables for SMEs with appropriate experts, in order to create new, innovative product - concepts support for eco innovative and participating SMEs in external communication of their ecodesigned products Specific, the instrument ECODESIGN+ guides you through the assessment process, illustrates your results, helps developing eco products! - Importing data from CAD, PDM or spreadsheet solutions - Calculating, comparing and improving the Product Carbon Footprint - Adapting to your company's requirements - Deriving detailed reports Site : www.ecodesignplus.com Geographic target area DanubePIE is dedicated to the Danube Region and supports the EU Strategy to create synergies in the field of environment and economic growth in this geographic area. Six countries of the Danube region are directly involved in the project: Partners: Steinbeis- Europa- Zentrum (Stuttgart, Germany) Steinbeis Innovation ggmbh is the non- profit part of the Steinbeis Research and Development Company within the Steinbeis Foundation for Economic Development, latter acting as an umbrella organization for the entire Steinbeis network. Steinbeis- Europa- Zentrum (SEZ) is part of the Steinbeis Network (a network for technology transfer with over 700 centers) as well as part of the region s innovation activities through the Commissioner for Europe of the Minister of Economics of Baden- Württemberg. SEZ was founded in 1990 within the Steinbeis Foundation and is today a legally dependent company within the non- profit Steinbeis Innovation ggmbh. Page2
Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency (Budapest, Hungary) Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency is an Agency for encourage foreign companies to invest in Hungary and to support the foreign trade activity of Hungarian small and medium- sized enterprises. HITA is a central agency working under the direction of the Minister for National Economy aims to enhance investor confidence and promote investments primarily in economically disadvantaged areas. The work of the Agency s central office in Budapest is complemented by six regional branch offices and an international foreign trade professional diplomatic network, which, with their local knowledge and network of contacts support HITA s investment and export promotion activities. Technology Park Varaždin (Varaždin, Croatia) Technology park Varaždin Ltd. is a company that deals with the establishment of incubation center for innovative start- up companies, establishment of a mechanism for improvement of existing technologically innovative companies, improvement of transfer of knowledge from universities and development centers into the economy, networking of companies, educational institutions, development agencies and innovative individuals, and change of perception towards innovation as a foundation of a new economy University of Novi Sad (Novi Sad, Serbia) The University of Novi Sad (UNS) is now the second largest among six state universities in the Republic of Serbia. Having invested considerable efforts in intensifying international cooperation and participating in the process of university reforms in Europe, the University of Novi Sad has come to be recognized as a reform- oriented university in the Danube region and on the map of universities in Europe. Business Support Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises (Ruse, Bulgaria) BSC SME has been registered in January 1996 as a non- governmental and non- profit organization by the following member - organizations: Ruse Municipality, Regional Union of Private Economic Enterprise - Ruse, Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bulgarian Industrial Association - Ruse. BSC SME is the biggest and the oldest non- governmental organization outside the capital of Bulgaria. Its experience covers informational, financial services, consultations and other business support services for SMEs. BSC SME is a voting member in EUSDR Steering Groups for PA 8 Competitiveness and PA 9 People And Skills. Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (Timisoara, Romania) Timis Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture is an autonomous organization, non- governmental and self- financed.tccia provides a large range of services which cover all aspects of business development.it has implemented projects in the fields of development of entrepreneurial spirit and dissemination of European information in various sectors of activity, electronic commerce, agriculture, food safety, commercial arbitration, regional, national and international cooperation among SMEs, quality management and environment, etc. CCIAT s experience lies in the development of cross- border economic, trading and social relationships and the set up of several competitiveness centers and networks. Page3
Target group/ Who can participate? SMEs, SME- associations, large companies with SME- suppliers of any industrial branch, who: - Pack up, manufacture or supply packaging - Print or laminate packaging, or produce these materials - Produce covers for inner life of e.g. electronic parts - Manufacture of one way usables - Develop or produce packaging machines - Manufacture any product and look for a more efficient eco innovative packaging concept - Manufacture or develop innovative technologies or materials for packaging Results : Training to expert in the Danube region, Budapest 16-18 September 2013: 34 participants of the training were EEN ( European Enterpreise Network ) staff of the consortium, which would be active on technical support to SMEs, selected external experts of the consortium partners and other EEN partners from the Danube region outside of the consortium. EEN staff of consortium on training in Budapest External experts of consortium partners on training in Budapest Other Danub e EENs External experts trained back home SEZ 2 1 6 3 12 HITA 3 2 1 TPV 4 1 5 UNS 3 2 3 BSC SME 3 1 4 CCIAT 3 3 5 18 10 6 34 21 12 Other EENs trained back home Page4
Danube EEN persons beyond the consortium attended the training, from Serbia, Hungary, Romania and Czech Republic. Major results of the DanubePIE are the following on month 9 of the project life time: 1160 SMEs have benefitted from awareness raising and information activities 239 SMEs has benefitted from company visits 138 SMEs has benefitted from in- house trainings Main events: SEZ Presentations: 1.Information on the planned project activities on a Workshop on resource efficiency and EMAS in Freiburg on the 15.05.2013. The workshop was done in cooperation with the green city cluster in Freiburg with (33 participants) 2.Cooperation partner at the regional conference Ressourceneffizienz und Kreislaufwirtschaftskongress and participation with a stall on 12th +13th October in Stuttgart with around 700 participants 3.Infostand with poster and info materials at Danube region conference on the 11.12.13 (86 signed attendants). During the event, the moderator of the event referred to the project which is presented on the foyer HITA Presentations: 1.Workshop: One step ahead - security, effectiveness, economical and green solutions (Budapest, 20 November 2013) - Number of participants: 49 2.Green Business workshop (Budapest, 5 March 2014) 60 participants. DanubePie logo is published on the webpage of the co- organizer partner. 3.Conference: Competitiveness along with sustainability? Is ecodesign the solution?! (Budapest, 28 November 2013) - Number of participants: 80 4.RENEXPO Central Europe fair and brokerage event - 12-13 March 2014 Budapest leaflets, consultations on the exhibition booth BSC SME Page5
1.Presentation of project at the meeting of the EEN centres of the Bulgarian Consortium meeting. The Bulgarian partner in the project also presented the opportunities for the companies in the other regions, the specific online tool that is going to be used for the implementation of the projects activities, for which more information would be additionally distributed. 2.Information on decentralised training "Innovative waste management for SMEs" - Sofia, implemented under the project BEBB "Better Business - Better Environment" (SA services to SMEs in the field of environment) was sent to the DanubePIE consortium. 3.The project was presented at workshops with local stakeholders- 20.12.2013 Ruse and 07.03.2014, Razgrad. UNS Presentations 1.Participation at Eco camp opening ceremony, National park Fruska Gora, 15 th June 2013. Info day Eco Innovation was organized at premises of University of Novi Sad, 5 th June 2013. 2. Participation at Business forum Poslovna kapija held in Novi Sad, on 29 th August 2013. 3. Presentation of Danube PIE project, and participation in round table at CRINSS conference (12 th to 13 th September 2013), http://crinss.talkb2b.net/en/page/55/key+speaker+presentations Info day in Eco design organized at Regional Chamber of Commerse Novi Sad, on 15 th November 2013 4. Presentation of the Danube PIE opportunities to the members of Vojvodina Metal Cluster during their 3rd annual assembly on February 28th at The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina- app 100 participants and app 70 SMEs 5. Trainings on Advantage of Business Based on Eco Design - around 10 participants (held on the 17 th January 2014.) 6. Trainings on Strategy based on finding more efficient ways of using energy and resources - around 10 participants (held on the 28 th Fabruary 2014.)- around 10 participants Page6
7. Danube PIE project was promoted during Fair of Education and Publishing, at Novi Sad fair (held from 28 th February to 4 th March 2014.) 8. Lecture Successful Strategy - around 80 participants (held on the 27 th March 2014.) 9.Participation at conference Improving energy efficiency in companies doing and thinking green organized by Regional Chamber of Commerce Novi Sad will be organized on Tuesday 8 th of April 2014, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia TPV: 1.Participated in the fair CRO ECO ENERGY EXPO 2013 in Varazdin, held on 15. 17.11. 2013. with presentation of the project for 35 exhibitors and 5 stakeholders. The participants received some basic information about eco- design approach. 2.Organization of SME WEEK from 25. 30. 11. 2013 where TPV presented the project Danube Pie. The lecture was attended by 10 representatives of small and medium enterprises. During that week TPV participated in the "Economic minute" on local radio, and the whole show was dedicated to the project Danube PIE. CCIAT Radio / TV news 1. WEST CITY RADIO / 07-11.06.2013 / 15 news (3 per day) Seminar on wastes management; 2. TVT 89 Timisoara / 11.06.2013 How to manage wastes (seminar on wastes management); 3. TELE EUROPA NOVA / 11.06.2013 Seminar on wastes management; 4. RADIO TIMISOARA / 07.02.2014 - Companies in Timis County can improve their products on the market by means of eco- design services; Radio / TV interviews 1. RADIO ROMANIA RESITA / 11.06.2013 / / Seminar on wastes management; 2. RADIO ROMANIA RESITA / 28.11.2013 / / Seminar on eco- design; 3. RADIO ROMANIA RESITA / 10.02.2014 / Companies in Timis County can improve their products on the market by means of eco- design services; 4. DIGI 24 Timisoara / 02.0.2014 / / Eco, for business and environment. An original concept from Eastern Europe will be put into practice in Timisoara / 5. DIGI 24 Timisoara / Recrutat in Timisoara / 02.2014 / Topics: Companies in Timis County can improve their products on the market by means of eco- design services; Page7
Common Events of all partners : First International Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fair in Belgrade and International Brokerage Event B2B@RENEXPO Western Balkans organized by REECO GROUP and REECO SRB doo with support of EEN office Serbia, June 11th- 12th, 2014. http://www.renexpo- belgrade.com/index.php?id=7&l=1, http://renexpo.talkb2b.net/. Companies participation Ø Future Event: SETAC EUROPE 20 th LCA Case Study Symposium LCA in promoting eco- innovation and sustainability: education, research and application, which will take place in Novi Sad, Serbia on November 24-26, 2014. During the LCA Case Study Symposium 2014, will be organise a workshop that will serve as a dissemination platform for all key messages, best practices and success stories gathered during the project Product Innovation through Eco- design in the Danube region. The Conference aims at presenting information and practical cases on the use of eco- design principles in the improvement of existing products or the design of new ones. Key experts and SME representatives will share their insights and benefits from the application of the Eco- design concept in everyday activities. http://lcanovisad.setac.eu/home/?contentid=733&pr_id=732 http://lcanovisad.setac.eu/general_info/?contentid=734&pr_id=732 http://lcanovisad.setac.eu/workshop/?contentid=812&pr_id=732 How can you participate? For activities in the partner regions, please contact the partners: Steinbeis- Europa- Zentrum www.steinbeis- eropa.de Maria Kourti Tel: +49 711 1234037 Email: kourti@steinbeis- europa.de Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency http://www.hita.hu/ Sara Holly Tel: +361 8726 506 Email: sara.holly@hita.hu Technology Park Varaždin http://www.tp- vz.hr/ Emilija Skocibusic Tel: +359 82 821 472 Email: emilija.skocibusic@tp- vz.hr University of Novi Sad http://www.uns.ac.rs/en/ Mladen Radisic Tel: +381 64 144 70 48 Email: mladenr@uns.ac.rs Business Support Centre for SME http://www.bsc.smebg.net/ Iliana Draganova Tel: +359 82 821 472 Email: iy@smebg.net Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture http://www.cciat.ro/ Diana Fiti Tel: +40 256 219173 Email: Diana.Fiti@cciat.ro Page8