Between 17 and 18 January, a lot of networking and idea generation took place in Schleswig. The Danish Cluster Academy REG X and the German Business and Technology Transfer Corporation WTSH, had invited the cluster facilitators of the region to the kick-off event for Danish and German clusters. The purpose was to create relations across the border and to gain knowledge on how to deal with joint business development across the border.
"This is the first time that Danish and German cluster facilitators have been brought together in order to explore the collaboration opportunities across the Danish-German border", says the project manager from REG X, Louise Fenger Lauridsen and the director of cluster development WTSH, Ulrich Hausner, continues: "The Danish-German border region offers many clusters of strong and competitive industries and competencies. However, many of the clusters on both sides of the border do not know one another and therefore there has been an unexploited potential of collaboration and growth in the region. That is what we are going to do something about by inviting cluster facilitators, companies and research facilities in the region to a number of network meetings and workshops."
More innovation and growth in the border region in the time to come
Participants at the first event were educated by recognized trainers and practitioners who shared their knowledge and experiences with cross-border cluster collaboration. Participants were, however, also brought to the stage themselves to present their clusters for each other and explore possible collaboration projects with their cluster colleagues.
The network event generated not less than 16 new project ideas which prove the great potential of innovation and growth in the border region.
Michael Nedergaard from the Danish aluminium cluster AluCluster says: "The output was extremely positive. At the event I met new contacts. From AluClusters point of view a lot of interesting cross-border project ideas were developed and I could imagine Alucluster's participation in more of them."
Joint ideas came to live
One of the project ideas in which AluCluster saw great potential was developed together with the German windmill cluster CEwind. Michael Nedergaard explains: "One of our strategic focus areas is wind power and development of components to the windmill industry. For example, we have toyed with the idea of developing lightweight windblades. At the workshop in Schleswig we met CEwind, and we realised that they have come across the same idea. Therefore, we quickly found common ground to bring alive our joint ideas. We are now going to carry out the ideas in which we anticipate great potential."
Also the German food cluster KNE and Stålcentrum which is the Danish cluster for food processing equipment, joined forces. The result of their meeting was, among other things, an idea of developing a check list for SME's with the purpose to ensure security and hygiene when buying machineries for producing food. Carola Skuppin from KNE says: "On beforehand I wanted to develop specific projects which could be implemented right away and this became possible when I met Stålcentrum", and she explains further: "For my cluster, our project idea is going to create value for the small businesses, as it will be easier and less risky to buy machineries for food production."
Fact box:
The Intra-Net project is the first initiative that aims at increasing cluster collaboration across the Danish-German border. The objective of the project is to create a foundation for more innovation and growth in the border region through different network and training events for Danish and German cluster facilitators, businesses and research facilities.
Behind the project are the Danish Cluster Academy REG X and the German Business and Technology Transfer Corporation WTSH.
The project is supported by Interreg 4a with funding from the European Regional Fund and the Region of Southern Denmark.
For more information:
www.intranet.regx.dk
www.regx.dk
www.wtsh.de
Clusters can be defined as: A group of related companies located within close proximity. They collaborate on a strategic level with public authorities, knowledge institutions, and other companies, because it gives them a number of competitive advantages that cannot be achieved on their own.
Contact:
Louise Fenger Lauridsen
Project Manager
louise@regx.dk
+45 6550 1319
01 February 2012
