GENERAL PARTNER

PARTNERS

Free Economic Zone "Balti"

County Council Cluj

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova

Consulate General of the Republic of Moldova in Frankfurt am Main

PIN (People In Need în Moldova)

USAID Mission to the Republic of Moldova

Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure

About the event

Automotive Cluster Days presents a unique platform for establishing mutually advantageous connections between multinational companies producing auto parts and potential local and international suppliers in the automotive industry. Also, connecting local suppliers to transnational corporations (TNCs) will help increase the number of jobs and foster local skills, technology transfer and capital provision for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The traditional Automotive Cluster Days event in 2019 is oriented towards a narrower segment, with a focus on mechatronics, so APIP will organize Automotive & Mechatronics Cluster Days, an event embedded in the Moldova Business Week, 2019 in partnership with the Investment Agency.

Mechatronics has become the solution for many different products and processes. Modern systems have reached a high level of complexity that would have been impossible to imagine, using traditional methods. Mechatronics integrates the classical fields of computer-aided mechanics, electrical and engineering as well as information technology to establish the basic
principles for a contemporary design methodology.

However, investments in this area face many obstacles and risks, especially marked by the unprecedented intensification of competition, therefore even in the Republic of Moldova it is necessary to create a platform for cooperation among companies, by strengthening the networks of suppliers and producers of finished products, in terms of reducing costs, modernizing, diversifying and increasing the quality of production.

The risks and barriers mentioned above can overcome through clusterization, because the exchange of experiences, the elaboration of common objectives and the focus on their own strengths are the distinguishing features of clusters.

Today, innovations are developed through close collaboration between key institutions and interested companies. The difficult part of this process is identifying a trusted partner. Clusters offer remarkable opportunities for this, as they create an environment in which proximity, familiarity and support promote cooperation.

The objectives of Automotive & Mechatronics Cluster Days:

Setting up a platform for establishing mutually advantageous connections between the multinational companies producing auto parts and the potential local and international suppliers in the automotive industry;

Substitution of imports for TNCs carrying out investment projects in the Republic of Moldova;
Assisting TNCs in the process of searching for suppliers;
Increasing the competitiveness of SMEs in the automotive industry;
Facilitating an increased flow of information and technology transfer;
Elimination of technical barriers;
Establishing new business opportunities;
Dissemination of information on local suppliers, etc.

Audience

POLITICAL LEADERS:

Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova
Minister of Economy and Infrastructure

STRUCTURES RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING POLICY:

The Investment Agency
Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure
Ministry of Education, Culture and Research
Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection
Representatives of foreign and local private sector:
Local companies and investors in the automotive and electronics sector

ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT:

„Alecu Russo” State University of Balti (USARB)
Technical University of Moldova (UTM)
„Bogdan PetriceicuHașdeu” State University (USBPH)
Institute for Economic Reforms and Competitiveness (IREC)
Engineering College of Strășeni (CI)
The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM)

MASS MEDIA:

Television stations;
Online media;
National newspapers and magazines, etc.

Organizers

I. The Association of Employers from the Manufacturing Industry (APIP) is a non-commercial, non-governmental, independent and non-political organization, established by the free will of its members, enterprises mainly dealing with the manufacturing in the Republic of Moldova and providing related services to this sector.
APIP is one of the most representative association from the manufacturing industry, expressing the interests of manufacturers in this sector, in order to consolidate their efforts for the development of a better business and investment environment in the Republic of Moldova.
APIP aims to promote, support and defend, both nationally and internationally, the interests of its members in relations with the public authorities, and other third parties.
In order to improve the investment climate and to promote the interests of its members, the APIP activity is focused on the following goals:

To collaborate with the state institutions;
To advocate and lobby for legislative, social and administrative changes;
To develop and to spread specialized knowledge;
To support inventions and innovations in this field;
To facilitate the interaction of its members with foreign industrial companies;
To promote internationally the domestic companies, etc.

II. The Investment Agency (the Agency) is a central administrative authority subordinated to the Government, which implements the state policy in the fields of promotion and attraction of investments and has the mission to contribute to the development and economic growth of the country by promoting, attracting and locating investments, promoting exports and tourism.

The Agency carries out its functions in the following fields of activity:
1) promoting the country’s image for attracting foreign investments;
2) supporting the investment activity and protecting the investments;
3) promotion of exports;
4) promotion of tourism
5) fortification and implementation of economic diplomacy.

III. “Moldova Automotive Cluster” (ACM) is the first cluster established in the Republic of Moldova. The initiative to create ACM appeared spontaneously, as a reaction to the market demands and the necessity to capitalize on interconnections among companies, local and central administration, but also research and training institutions, following the “Triple helix” model.
The automotive sector of the Republic of Moldova, although relatively new, is one with the most dynamic growth, thanks to the investments made by the renowned foreign companies in the field. The investments attracted in the automotive sector and those ongoing highlights its development potential, while also having a leading role in strengthening the country’s potential for economic growth and raising the level of industrial performance.

AGENDA

Thursday
15th of November
9:00 – 18:00

8:30 - Registration of participants, welcoming coffee

9:00 General presentation of the event

Welcome speeches

Marin CIOBANU, President of the Association of Employers from the Manufacturing Industry
Pavel FILIP, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova
H.E Mrs. Angela GANNINGER, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany
Khaled SNOUBER, Head of European Affairs Enterprise Europe Network Hessen
Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH, Germany
Chiril GABURICI, Minister of Economy and Infrastructure
Presentation of the investment climate of the RM

09:30 Subject: Supply chain management in the automotive industry. Certifications required by the car manufacturers.

Speakers:

Ion TORNEA, Executive Director of the Association of Employers from the Manufacturing Industry
Presentation of the Moldovan Supplier Development Programme
Thomas RUECKER, General Manager of the Institute for Production Organization and Logistics
Key success factors to become an internationally competitive automotive supplier
Sergiu CROITORU, General Manager SGS Moldova
IATF16949:2016 Automotive Quality Management System
Dona SCOLA, National Expert UNIDO
Key services to the automotive industry and overview of projects implemented in the region
Sergiu RABII, Precision Engineering Industry Team Leader, Moldova
Competitiveness Project funded by USAID Innovations, Research & Development
Ion TIGHINEANU, Academician, Prime Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova
Nanotechnology in the Republic of Moldova
Ilia KLEIMAN, EuroPlus Investment International GmbH
Important aspects: quality in the development of production and export

Moderator: Iurie GOTIȘAN, Investment Promotion Manager Free Economic Zone ,,Balti”

Questions-Answers

11:00 - Coffee Break

11:30 Session I Supplier requirements

Brigitte Andrea NEAGU, EE Purchasing Indirect Materials, Draexlmaier Group
Eva SCHINKINGER, CEO Gebauer & Griller
Uwe RASTEL, Vice President Engineering Fritzmeier Cabin Group

Key questions:

What are the criteria for selecting suppliers?
To what extent can OEMs involve first and second tier suppliers in to the innovation process?
The experience of collaboration between suppliers (Tier 1 and Tier 2) and OEMs. Evolution of this process over time.

Questions and answers

Moderator: Ion LUPAN, Head of the Secretariat of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister

12:30 - Lunch break & networking

14:00 Session II Part I: Experience of co-working with local suppliers

Călin BOTEAN, Country Manager Foreign Capital Enterprise ICS “GG Cables &Wires EE” S.r.l
Alexandru BORDEIANU, Chief Financial Officer, Draexlmaier Automotive S.r.l
Ana MELNIC, Team Leader Purchasing, “Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze GmbH” in the Republic of Moldova
Constantin NEDER, Director Coroplast Harness Technology

Key Questions:

What are the challenges and difficulties in finding potential local suppliers?
What measures state institutions should undertake to facilitate the connection between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers?

Moderator: Professor Dr. Herfried SCHNEIDER, Technical University Ilmenau, Germany

Part II: Experience of co-working with the local multinational companies

Stanislav TRAISTARU, Metsud r.l.
Roman CROITORI, Managing Director, Metchimgrup S.r.l
Oleg MURZAC, Operational Director Automotive Harness Manufacturing Introscop S.A

Moderator: Dorina MARGINE, Investment Promotion Manager Free Economic Zone ,,Balti”

15:15 - Coffee Break

15:45 Session III Funding Opportunities

Alexandru COSOVAN, Associate Director, Senior Banker, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Maria TERENTIEV, Analyst, Advice to Small Businesses European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Aureliu CASIAN, Head of the Project Implementation Unit of the World Bank Competitiveness Enhancement Project
Victor IURAȘ, Vice-President of the Board of Directors, BC ,,Moldova-Agroindbank” S.A

Moderator: Andrei CRIGAN, Partner at Gateway & Partners

16:15 Session IV Labor Market

Subject: Government’s policies and steps taken to provide skilled labor force to the automotive industry

Sergiu HAREA, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova
Viorel BOSTAN, Rector, Technical University of Moldova
Raisa DOGARU, Director, National Labour Force Employment Agency
Tatiana DORMENCO, Vice Administrator, Free Economic Zone ,,Balti”
Viorica CERBUSCA, Founder ofNIKA Responsible Business Generation

Moderator: Vadim BUBULICI, HR Specialist/Officer personnel Development and Head of Professional Education at Draexlmaier Group