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 ACS PROGRAMME COUNCIL ON COMMON DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS
After having visited some parts of the manufacture of the UNIOR d.d.
company in Zrece, the ACS Programme Council held a meeting in the Dobrava hotel
where we discussed the activities being carried out on common R&D projects for new
products and technologies. In the introductory part, the forty participants of the meeting had an opportunity to listen to a lecture on current development movements in the European and world automotive industry, given by a recognised international expert Peter Kraljic, Ph.D. The lecture was followed by a presentation by Gorazd Vrbica, the head of the supply strategy at Volkswagen concern. Both presentations encouraged a fruitful discussion on the Slovenian suppliers' further activities in securing their already established market positions at manufacturers as well as activities to strengthen competitiveness with innovations and further growth of productivity. In globalised automotive sphere with fast growing markets and capacities of car and car components production in Eastern Europe, China and India, it is necessary for Slovenian suppliers to develop their capabilities and competence further as integrators, innovators and technological specialists. Only in this way, will they be able to seize opportunities that are appearing in the accelerated transfer of the development and production from the manufacturers to suppliers. Cluster members who are also VW suppliers (VW is an important buyer of automotive components in Slovenia) were extremely interested in the presentation of VW supply strategy which was only made public a few days ago. Especially its market share on new growing markets was of great interest to bigger Slovenian suppliers who are supposed to follow with their investments and technology transfer the increased production of vehicles on these markets. Naturally, the biggest market for our suppliers remains in Europe but we should count on some growth in America, too. In addition, new strategy brings about more partnership (B2B) on the relation car manufacturer - first class supplier and partly also further on the supplier chain. Certain segmentation and suppliers' development in regions also gives an opportunity to the members of the Automotive Cluster of Slovenia for better development and business co-operation which can be seen as developmental and stimulating role of the cluster. Slovenian suppliers will have to continue looking for solutions to exploit regions with cheaper labour force and at the same time keep and further develop their market and development competence. In doing so they will have to follow other leading automotive suppliers who are currently creating substantially more patents than car manufacturers (a few years ago both sectors were even). << Back |