SME Aisle

Exports of clusters of CB economic strengths shipbuilding, maritime, renewable energy, automation and ICT to Namibia as a stable point of entry to the Southern African markets

P1 Competitive economy

1.3. More exports by the Central Baltic companies to new markets

Central Baltic

01.03.2018 - 31.08.2022

€1 731 850

€1 358 178

Project Summary:

CB region companies in Finland incl. Åland, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden have strong competences in maritime clusters (shipbuilding, maritime& logistics, renewable energy, automation, ICT). However, many CB companies are too small and their expertise is very limited/scattered toenable export activities on the fast growing Southern African market (62% of global population in Africa by 2050). There are vast export possibilities for an adaptable, scalable product and services concept for CB region companies as clusters to these markets. The customers expect concept solutions for products and services.

The main objective is to increase CB’s SME’s sales by developing a  joint concept that uses Namibia as a safe entry point to coastal Southern African (SA) countries (e.g. South Africa, Angola, Mozambique). All SME Aisle partners are already operating actively within safe, smart and environmentally friendly maritime clusters to promote export from Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Sweden. The lead partner has deep expertise and consistent connections in Namibia’s business environment since 2012. The project activities are detailed market analysis a feasibility study, development and adaptation of concepts for products and services with a capacity building of 20 selected pilot companies from CB. The customers in SA are public operators, PPPs and private companies.

The number of cluster planned to be created in the framework of the project is five: 1) metacluster between the countries and clusters with compatible products and services: “CB maritime cluster”; 2) infrastructure (machinery, renewable energy, automation, ICT solutions) in ports and hinterlands; 3) ship building, retrofitting; 4) certified training (maritime, crewing, renewable energy, automation, ICT); 5) expert services on safety, surveillance, environment and custom clearance procedures etc.. Min. 15 companies have achieved sales in Southern African countries by the end of the project. ​

Lead Partner

Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu

Country: FI

www.samk.fi

Partner budget: 578.802 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 422.526 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Prizztech Oy

Country: FI

www.prizz.fi

Partner budget: 299.163 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 218.389 EUR ERDF

Latvijas Tirdzniecības un rūpniecības kamera

Country: LV

http://www.chamber.lv/en/

Partner budget: 167.030 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 140.305 EUR ERDF

Mašīnbūves un Metālapstrādes Rūpniecības asociācija

Country: LV

http://www.masoc.lv

Partner budget: 309.501 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 259.981 EUR ERDF

Tallinna Tehnikaülikool

Country: EE

www.ttu.ee/mereakadeemia

Partner budget: 377.354 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 316.977 EUR ERDF

Associated Partners

Satakunnan kauppakamari

Country: FI

Svensk Vindkraftförening

Country: SE

Expected results

The main results will be:

- A joint acting meta-cluster of CB companies on SME AISLE themes exporting to coastal areas of Southern African Development Community (SADC). Namibia is actively used as stable entry point to these markets.
- companies having on-going export business by the end of project in SADC area.
- An export concept for fast and adaptable product and services for SME AISLE metacluster.
- The best practices are expanded in CB area and countries as well as in SADC area for maritime export.

Result indicator, as the number of cluster co-operations exporting to new markets from Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Sweden, is five:

1) metacluster between the countries and clusters with compatible products and services: “CB maritime cluster”; 2) infrastructure for machinery, renewable energy, automation, ICT solutions in ports and hinterlands;
3) ship building, retrofitting;
4) certified training on maritime &crewing, renewable energy (solar, wind, wave), automation (port and land transport automation) and ICT (mobile phone and networks);
5) expert services on safety, surveillance, environment and custom clearance procedures.
Our project will lead to export of companies of maritime cluster from Finland (incl. Åland), Estonia, Latvia and Sweden to Namibia, SA and Zambia. Established export activities reflect the strengths of the CB economies in shipbuilding and maritime. The best practices recognized in the project for SMEs will be expanded throughout the CB area both to export in Namibia and later in the neighboring countries.
During the project at least 15 companies, mostly SMEs, will achieve sales (5.000 € to 10 M€ per company) in Southern African region, most likely in Namibia. In addition, there will be dozens of maritime cluster companies that have high potential for sales at the end of the project, as well as more than hundred companies who have explored their potential for export activities in neighboring Southern African markets.

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