The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs-Baranya has concluded cooperation agreements with 11 clusters in the South Transdanubian region in 2010. The main goal of this agreement was to start a synergic development work to strengthen the regional economy and innovation potential in a framework between the Chamber of Commerce and the clusters. The clusters, as representatives of the local economic cooperation, can access international visibility as well as training and business opportunities through European projects of the Chamber of Commerce. During the cooperation the economic utilization of the innovation results, a joint appearance and the development of exportability can be achieved. In the frame of international cooperation, local clusters have not only taken part in the developing work but have also signed international cooperation agreements.

Our Chamber has been involved in the formation and management of several clusters. The advantage of clustering is that with the companies’ ability they can increase their common competitiveness with cost reduction, by using their resources.

Companies are expanding their expertise through mutual exchange of experience, they build trust, and last but not least, working together results in greater lobby force and enforcement of interests.

Clusters Managed by the Chamber:

South West Hungarian Engineering Cluster

The South West Hungarian Engineering Cluster (SWHEC) is the largest cluster in the region, both in terms of turnover and the size of its members. It was established in March 2011 thus providing an organizational back ground to support coordinated action and implementation of development ideas, the determining engineering organization of the region.

The Cluster is authorized to use the title Accredited Cluster, is owner of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative Silver Label and it is the biggest organization of this type in the region both in respect of revenues (more than 350 M EUR) and size of the Cluster members with 5000 employees.

At present, the cluster consists of 32 members from the South West Hungarian region having the following major objectives:

Business Development:

• Market-based collaboration
• Strengthening the cluster internal market, common capacity utilization
• Joint procurement of energy, services and materials and others
• Dynamizing the innovative activity, developing common products

Training Development:

• Developing vocational training and dual tertiary education in mechanical engineering

Representation of interest, marketing, networking:

• Establishing common, powerful lobby activity
• Sectoral and cluster networking, establishment of professional collaborations
• Operating the platform for experience and information exchange
• Sectoral and cluster networking, establishment of professional collaborations
• Common domestic and international presence and representation

Cluster members have a highly heterogeneous, specialised activity range if compared to each other they represent a different market segments.

Products and services of the SWHEC

www.ddgk.hu

Construction Technology Cluster

The Construction Technology Cluster (CTC) was founded on 21th March 2018 with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs-Baranya with the cooperation of 15 general construction companies. Its purpose is to help construction companies actively participating in the region to demonstrate competitive high-quality services that are flexible and adapt to changing market demands.

The outstanding qualification of the companies participating in the Cluster, their active role in professional replenishment and professional innovation is exemplary. The combined sales revenue of the members exceeds HUF 6.2 billion and their specialist team has more than 300 members. The further aim of the Cluster is to provide full service to the investors.

The members of the Cluster also perform general-level tasks individually as well, but combined together, under a joint contract, they can work on bigger projects. The Cluster’s services ranges from project preparation, through design, to full-scale general construction.

The President of the Construction Technology Cluster is Gábor Molnár (IMG Építő Ltd.), the vice-presidents are: Csaba Magyari (MB Bau Ltd.), Csaba Nemes (Kőház Ltd.), István Schrempf (HVS-BAU Ltd.), the cluster manager is Rudolf Szigeti (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs-Baranya).

epitoipariklaszter.hu/en

In addition, the Chamber is a founding member of the

• Creative Industry Cluster, a
• Biotechnology Innovation Base Cluster, and
• Also work closely with the Cluster of Applied Earth Sciences and
• It is a supporting member of the Information Management Innovation Cluster.