One of the main tasks of PLOD Center is creation of better business environment for development of entrepreneurship that will have stimulating effect on establishment of new and development of existing small and medium enterprises (SMEs). So far, as a part of its activities PLOD Center established cooperation with more than 150 companies from the following sectors: agriculture, wood processing, metal processing, construction, tourism, and other sectors in the area of the Una-Sana Canton and wider (northwest part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Livno Canton).
During the period from 2007 to 2011 PLOD Center created over 40 development projects, business plans and investment plans for small and medium enterprises in the area of the Una-Sana Canton, based on which over 50% of companies received funds from Development bank of FB&H, commercial banks and donors to finance and develop business.
PLOD Center has established services for companies whose goal is to connect company in targeted areas with programs and projects on national level, support to the process of access to finance, human resources development, and improvement of business processes, which include the following:
Form
Current projects:
Donor: USAID-Sida
Period of implementation: September 2009 – September 2014
Project partners: PLOD Center Bihać, (metal sector) BH MET NET Consortium: Association of Entrepreneurs Žepče, Agency for Economic Development Zenica-ZEDA, Agency for economic development of Prijedor Municipality -PREDA, Association of Entrepreneurs and Business LINK Mostar Independent office for Development (NBR) Modriča and (wood-processing sector) Chamber of Commerce of the Una-Sana Canton
FIRMA is a five-year project, whose implementation began in September 2009. The project supports three B&H economy sectors: wood-processing sector, tourism and metal industry. It is implemented in the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina and covers about 200 companies in each of the mentioned sectors.
General objective is to help B&H gain “the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the European Union”, a critical component of the Copenhagen Economic Criteria for EU accession. FIRMA works with three sectors of the B&H economy: wood processing, tourism, and light manufacturing. The principal group of implementing partners is called Value Chain Facilitators (VCFs).
Specific objective is to support sustainable economic growth, employment expansion and increased household incomes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
PLOD Center as a local partner that participates in implementation of the project in metal sector (Una-Sana Canton) and wood-processing sector (Una-Sana Canton and Western Bosnia Canton). Partners in metal sector are members of BH MET NET Consortium: Association of Entrepreneurs Žepče, Agency for Economic Development Zenica-ZEDA, Agency for economic development of Prijedor Municipality-PREDA, Association of Entrepreneurs and Business LINK Mostar Independent office for Development (NBR) Modriča and in wood-processing sector Chamber of Commerce of the Una-Sana Canton.
PLOD Center performs the following tasks within FIRMA project:
Implemented activities:
a. the current situation of small and medium enterprises from treated sectors in the Una-Sana Canton surveyed through basic survey
b. action plans for overcoming obstacles identified in basic survey of small and medium enterprises created
c. seminar “Simplification of export procedures“ held
d. investment projects and business plans created
e. business gathering “Favorable financing for small and medium enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina” organized and held
The goal of the gathering was to present to small and medium enterprises from metal, wood-processing and tourism sectors current and planned programs of financing of B&H economy by financial institutions, including Development Bank of FB&H, World Bank which implements their programs through ODRAZ Agency, as well as commercial banks and support programs to economy development of Government of FB&H.
f. Conference „Creation of favorable business environment in the Una-Sana Canton” organized
The goal of the Conference was establishment and promotion of active dialogue between governmental, private and non-governmental sectors about development of economy in the Una-Sana Canton in order to gain valuable insights into existing problems and define key guidelines for establishment of effective policies and measures for development of economy in the Una-Sana Canton to increase employment, investments, competitiveness of small and medium enterprises and create better business environment.
Target group of the Conference were strategically important small and medium enterprises from the Una-Sana Canton, Municipalities, as well as institutions and organizations contributing to development of small and medium enterprises. The Conference was attended by 220 participants.
g. Workshop „Environmental permits“ organized
h. Workshop “Energy efficiency” organized
The goal of this workshop was to familiarize participants with the basics and importance of energy efficiency, EU directives, the current legislation regarding energy efficiency in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the possibilities of renewable energy sources and available sources of financing energy efficiency projects.
i. Visit of metal processing companies from B&H to Nordbygg 2012 Fair, Stockholm, Sweden organized
Within this project activity PLOD Center organized a visit of businessmen from B&H metal processing sector to Nordbygg Construction Fair that is held every year in Stockholm, Sweden. The purpose of this visit was to support B&H metal processing companies to visit the Nordbygg 2012 and that way access new markets in Scandinavia.
Current activities:
a. Introduction of new vocations intended for formal and informal education- Mixed vocational secondary school Sanski Most
Recognizing the needs of entrepreneurs for vocations that are geared towards advanced technologies, Mixed vocational secondary school introduced enrollment plan with two new professional titles:
The objective of this project is to create preconditions for the implementation of quality training for the aforementioned vocations including: equipping workshops, teachers’ training, preparation of plans and training programs and providing the other conditions for their implementation and certification of unemployed persons according to the needs of the local economy, as well as the introduction and formalization of vocations for students, who will meet the future needs of industry for personnel capable of handling advanced technologies. PLOD Center is responsible for coordination and implementation of all activities.
b. Program of business-financial consultants – QBFC program
QBFC program is a separate segment of FIRMA Project, which seeks to intensify the activities of the companies to access funding. PLOD Center is one of the providers of business consulting, which is certified by FIRMA Project.
The program objectives are facilitating access to favorable funding to companies from three sectors covered by FIRMA Project, and to improve the adequacy of the structure of financial sources and the conditions under which SMEs obtain financing.
QBFC services include:
Specific goal of the project: In order to improve small and medium enterprises and contribute to their sustainable development, PLOD Center cooperates with the Dutch consulting agency PUM, which gathers world-renowned experts and offers free consulting to companies in order to contribute to their rapid growth and market positioning.
Experts from various economy sectors put their knowledge and experience on disposal to companies in order to assist them in troubleshooting specific problems in the production, management, business organization, marketing and other areas. PUM has 30 years of experience and operates in 70 countries, with the help of 4000 volunteers, experts from almost all economic sectors (agriculture, horticulture, construction, business and management, manufacture of chemicals and synthetic materials, engineering and electrical engineering, food and beverage ; financial institutions, healthcare, transportation and logistics, metal industry, energy, water and environment, industry paper and cardboard packaging, publishing, tourism and hospitality industry, textile and leather industry, trade, wood processing, etc.), in over 80 business segments in respective sectors.
PLOD Center, as local partner of PUM, assists to the companies in the application process for consultancy services and participates in monitoring and evaluation of the overall activity. This service is free.
Muhsina Rizvića 11
77 000 Bihać
Bosna i Hercegovina
tel. +387 37 220 690
fax.+387 37 220 690
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