Industry modernisation in the EU

On behalf of the European Commission (DG Regio), IDEA Consult supports the regions of Tuscany, Madzowieke (Poland) and Slovenia (1 region) in their two cross-regional initiatives for industrial modernisation (Tuscany: ‘high-precision farming' and Madzowiecke/Slovenia: ‘High-speed production performance monitoring'). Both initiatives aim at a successful absorption of state-of-the-art monitoring and quality control technologies by companies in rather traditional sectors (farming / agro-food; metal milling and plastic injection). The support from IDEA Consult had two objectives: 1) to come to a workable and realistic definition of the scope of the industrialisation process (specific enough to trigger industrial interests, transversal enough to involve the widest possible number of companies, well in-line with regional innovation strategies and industrial needs) and 2) to identify the regional challenges (missing assets and capabilities) and some potential collaboration opportunities in other regions. As a result, the regions involved agreed on the scope of the process. A Scoping note has been drafted, including a road-map with the future steps for 2017 and a time-table.