Technological Initiative Pilsen

The third meeting of companies which are potential members of TIP took place at11:30am on Jan. 10, 2012 in Pilsen, and was organised by Mr. Jean Michel Condamin (CEO of Driessen Aerospace CZ).

Driessen is part of Zodiac Aerospace, a publicly traded company in the aviation industry with 80 production sites and more than 20,000 dedicated employees around the globe. Driessen specializes in designing, manufacturing, and marketing high quality galleys, galley equipment and cargo equipment.

The program for the meeting included a traditional factory tour. A presentation about Driessen Aerospace followed the tour. The next item on the agenda was a presentation about subsidy programs, the tendering process and the legal form of TIP.

The second meeting of TIP took place at 11:00am on Nov. 2, 2011 in Holýšov, and was organised by Mr. Johannes Heidecker (CFO of EvoBus Bohemia). Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Reiner Springmeier (CEO of EvoBus Bohemia) presented the EvoBus Group at the beginning of the meeting.

EvoBus Group is one of the world’s leading producers of Mercedes-Benz, Setra and Orion buses. EvoBus Bohemia(part of the EvoBus and Daimler Groups) is responsible for selling and servicing Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses in the Czech Republic. In addition, this business unit manufactures the chassis and basic structures for almost all Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses at its Holýšov factory in Pilsen region. EvoBus Bohemia CR employs more than 400 employees.

Participants in the meeting completed a factory tour. During the second part of the meeting, participants discussed common interests and areas of cooperation.

The first meeting of the top management of firms which play a leading role in the technology sector in the Pilsen region took place at 12:00pm on Sept. 30, 2011 in the Pilsen restaurant Golden Fisch, and was organised by Pavel Duchek. The CEO or CFO of Driessen Aerospace CZ s.r.o., MBtech Bohemia s.r.o., EvoBus Bohemia, s.r.o., ZF Engineering Plzeň s.r.o., SWA s.r.o., MECAS ESI s.r.o., GOLDRATT CZ, s.r.o., and Blue Projects Agency, s.r.o. all participated in this meeting.

The concept of a Business Cluster, a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, and associated institutions in a particular field was presented at the meeting. Clusters are thought to increase the productivity with which companies can compete, nationally and globally. Clusters are also very important aspects of strategic management.

All participants discussed the idea of cooperating in R&D, as well as resource and capacity sharing. The idea of gradually and mutually presenting factories and offices to other participants was also discussed. The working name of the group was approved:  TIP – Technological Initiative Pilsen.