• Description of the Region
• Cluster Profile
• Global Players
• Cluster Policy
• Contact Details

Podravska Region is situated between the Austrian border in the north and the Croatian border in the south-east. The region benefits from an excellent geographical position and a well-developed transport infrastructure (motorway connection with Graz and Ljubljana, railway, airport of Maribor). Its centre, Maribor, was established on the banks of the Drava river where its narrow valley opens up and the river enters the extensive Drava plain. The region is divided into 34 municipalities, including the city municipality of Maribor, the second largest municipality in Slovenia in terms of population.

The Podravska region covers a territory of 2 170 km˛ (10.7% of the national territory). With 320 100 inhabitants (16.1% of the national population) it is the second largest Slovenian region in terms of population. Along the edges of the plains the towns of Maribor (population 113 000), Ptuj (24 000), Slovenska Bistrica (30 100) and Ormož (17 700) are situated. Of the total population 70.9% were of working age in 2002, i.e. between 15 and 65 years, and employment was about 117 200 (+5.9% between 1995 and 2002). The employment rate in 2002 was 42.3%, and was higher for men (49.3%) than for women (35.8%).

Among the advantages of the region, the successful specialisation of agriculture in fruit and wine growing in several hilly areas is worth mentioning.

Maribor is the largest industrial town in the region. Metal products are still manufactured here, as well as chemicals (detergents), textiles and wood-processing products. During World War II, a hydrated alumina and aluminium plant was constructed in Kidricevo. Later, it was transformed into an aluminium plant which is today connected with a semi-manufactured aluminium goods plant in Slovenska Bistrica. Other industries include a paper factory in Sladki Vrh, the manufacturing of spectacles and the production of ferro-alloys, carbide and fertilisers in Ruše.

The economy of the Podravska Region is dominated by the service industry, which represents about 60% of the overall structure. Only twenty years ago the Podravska Region enjoyed the reputation of a strong industrial region. Most companies are in the processing industries such as:

The Podravska Region has a long industrial tradition and provides all the attributes required for the manufacturing of sophisticated products. The most important companies in the region include: Henkel Slovenija, Impol, Carrera Optyl, Perutnina, Talum, Impol, Paloma, Mariborska livarna, Swaty, Tovarna vozil Maribor, TDR Metalurgija, ELKO, Messer Slovenija. All types of service activities are well-developed in Maribor but the region is rather weak in tourist and catering services, which are mainly developed in Maribor, in the Pohorje massif (skiing centre) and in Ptuj (thermal health resort). Several specialised trade-fairs also take place in Maribor.

One of Maribor's main focuses is its successful university providing a substantial share of highly educated graduates for Maribor and the neighbouring regions. An important advantage for the region is the presence of the University of Maribor, which covers the majority of the demands for highly skilled graduates in the local economy. The University city of Maribor is the second most important cultural and educational centre in Slovenia, following Ljubljana. The University of Maribor currently consists of 10 faculties and 1 professional higher education institution and about 25 000 students. The University provides a wide range of courses in engineering, computers science, chemistry, European languages and business. In 2002, over 1,900 students were studying electrical engineering and computer science and 1,600 were studying mechanical engineering. In addition, there are several independent colleges.

Furthermore, there is a large regional general hospital in Maribor. A smaller general hospital, a spa and a convalescent home Terme Ptuj are located in Ptuj.

Maribor and Ptuj are also very active cultural centres. The most distinguished cultural institution in the region is the Slovenian National Theatre in Maribor, which also includes opera and ballet. Other important institutions are the theatre in Ptuj, the Art Gallery in Maribor and regional museums in Maribor and Ptuj. Several local radio stations as well as the regional radio-television centre which is a part of the National Radio and Television Network are operated in Maribor.

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• RAST g.i.z., Regional Avio Destination of Slovene Tourism is mainly constituted by Spa centres and hotels in the region, and by the Airport Maribor. Also, the Faculty of Economics is part of this community of interests.
• TECES Research and Development centre of Electrical Machines connects worldwide established Slovene companies and education and research institutions active in the field of electric drive systems.
  Partnership cooperation in research and development (R&D) projects under the auspices of TECES guarantees the participants the strengthening of R&D capacities, with which the necessary critical volume of resources for the provision of constant and rapid innovation and adjustment to changes in the business environment is assured. TECES integrates the world-renowned Slovenian companies and educational-research institutions in the field of electric drivers, implementing joint projects based on a unified strategy of R&D infrastructure. Most of the members companies comé from Maribor. The University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is also a founder of TECES.
• ALUREG Slovenska Bistrica is a company consortium in the field of metallurgy of light materials. ALUREG is also a member of the European Technology Platform for Aluminium. The bearer of the cluster initiative is IMPOL d.d. and the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica. The consortium already includes more than 12 large companies and several R&D institutions.
• The Energy and Construction Enterprise Network consists of companies from the Association of Energetics and Installers, the Regional Chambre of Craft Maribor, representatives of the Maribor Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Slovenian companies dealing with the construction of energy economical and passive houses. It was established by the Maribor Development Agency in cross-border cooperation with Austrian partner institutions.
• ACS - the Automotive Cluster of Slovenia is a nation-wide cluster, which incorporates supplier companies also in the Podravska Region. A further active partner in the automotive cluster is the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Faculty for Mechanical Engineering, which cooperates with the Fraunhofer Institut für Systemtechnik und Innovationsforshung in Karlsruhe.
• The main goal of TECOS, the Slovenian Tool and Development Centre is to exploit its own knowledge and equipment and use it together with equipment and knowledge of both Slovenian universities and other scientific-research and expert institutions in order to support Slovenian toolmakers. TECOS has more than 80 industrial and other members, 9 of which come from the Podravska Region.

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In Maribor, foreign companies such as

• Henkel Slovenija
• Meesser Slovenija
• PS CIMOS (CITROEN) TAM Ai
• Siemens Transportation Systems
• Neoplan Bus

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Slovenia has a great deal of experience in the field of supporting and encouraging clustering, networking and collaboration. After four years of successful national cluster policy ending in 2005, a strong national policy was missing. In regional development plans throughout Slovenia it was evident that the cluster policy is incorporated in those plans. The importance of the Regional policy in general is seen as the improvement of competitiveness of the region, cross-regional cooperation and fostering of R&D.

The Slovene innovation and competitiveness policy 2005 is based on supporting all economic sectors, i.e. there is no sectoral focus. The Policy is horizontal and aimed at all economic sectors. None of the measures is designed particularly for clusters. The target groups are companies (SMEs) and R&D institutions.

The support of global competitiveness and internationalisation in a knowledge-based economy is one of the measures in the Podravje Regional Development Plan 2007-2013. This will be implemented by:

• encouraging development of business, business excellence, business dissemination on foreign markets and internationalisation of companies.
• further development of specialised expert services for the development and internationalisation SME support
• encouraging different forms of networking and cooperation between SMEs, and SMEs and R&D
• increased SME accessibility for national and international development incentives.

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