CBI Pro-Akademia

From 24th to 28th of February 2014 twenty entrepreneurs from the Łódzkie Region took part in benchmarking training in Barcelona. It was the first of four international visits planned within the project ”Integrated Programme for the Modernisation of Textile and Clothing Industry in Łódzkie Region” lead by the Research and Innovation Center Pro-Akademia.

The benchmarking training was realized using the “know-how” method. The entrepreneurs from our region visited Catalan companies to know their experience in organization of production process, modern logistics center management and to learn good practices in e-commerce and exportation. The training participants visited such companies as MANGO (a logistics center which supplies Mango shops all around the world), Bóboli (children's wear manufacturer) or Vilaseca (underwear manufacturer which also runs its own knitwear factory).

The training participants visited the Catalan Fashion and Textile Cluster where they were told about developing cooperation between the companies within the cluster and what types of projects they can run together. The Agency of Competitiveness for Companies in Catalonia - ACCIÓ - supports local companies and clusters dynamization. Catalonia has been working with the cluster model since 1992 so the Polish entrepreneurs could learn some good examples about the benefits of cooperation within a cluster while visiting ACCIÓ.

Another interesting part of the training was the visit at the Technological Center CETEMMSA which specializes in smart textile and printed electronics. CETEMMSA is a good example of modern technologies applicable in textile industry. The training participants visited CETEMMSA labs and show room which presents the results of cooperation between Catalan companies and CETEMMSA.

All the meetings and visits organized during the training were aimed to enable the participants to learn about the organization of production, new technologies and business management in textile and clothing sector. This new knowledge hopefully will be an inspiration and a good advice how to change the company profile to be more competitive on the Polish and international market.