Competitiveness Agency

The Competitiveness Agency from Durangaldea is an initiative promoted by the Durango Business Association (DEE-AED), in collaboration with the Durango Regional Commonwealth, the Basque Business Development Agency (SPRI) and the Bizkaia Council (BFA).

The Competitiveness Agency has been created as an instrument, a management and cooperation model, to provide services and to promote actions orientated to increase the competitiveness level of the companies, either individually or through collaborative compromises. Actions aimed to improve the actual industrial situation and to set the foundations for a progressive transformation of the industrial capabilities of Durangaldea, towards a model of a competitive and high added value industry.

This gradual transformation of the manufacturing structure also responds to the need of counteracting lower industrial activity and rising unemployment rates in the region caused by the economic crisis, and to address the various shortcomings brought out by companies, which are reflected in the Industrial Mapping of Durangaldea.

In addition, the priority of local companies to achieve higher levels of competitiveness is required as a response to global changes in economic rules, caused by the increasing role of the so-called emerging economies that are generating a geographical fragmentation and functional production systems.

The organizational structure of Competitiveness Agency from Durangaldea is formed by an Executive Committee, composed by representatives from the Local Development Agency (Durangaldeko Behargintza), the Durango Business Association, from the IK4-Azterlan Metallurgical Technical Center, along with the support of some experienced industrialists and consultants, whose responsibility is the definition, coordination and implementation of the various action plans that are considered necessary for the development of the preferential working lines commonly established by the public and private local stakeholders.

The theoretical foundations of this ambitious project began in 2008 with a further strong development in 2011, based on the conclusions of a detailed mapping of the local industrial capabilities, and the design and development of a model for generating business opportunities set ongoing in 2013.

The Competitiveness Agency from Durangaldea promotes the gradual transformation of the local manufacturing structure, based on two main strands:

Improve the competitiveness level of companies: through the incorporation in innovation processes and technological development, with the support and assistance of specialists and tutors recognized experience. Individual performances in companies focused in the following areas of activity:

• Technological audits aimed at improving production processes or final product characteristics, as well as feasibility analysis of new products or manufacturing technologies.

• Support and development of strategic internationalization plans.

• Implementation of models to identify new business opportunities and the subsequent follow up.

A total of 20 companies have taken part in these individual actions.

Development of industrial diversification initiatives and promotion of new business opportunities in cooperation: through a process of identifying new ideas and their subsequent development, to turn them into real business opportunities in cooperation.

This process has already enabled the creation of several working groups formed by companies interested in the development of new opportunities, working in all cases under a cooperation scheme. These working groups are:

• Hot Stamping Group, aimed at the acquisition of knowledge and technical capabilities within this advanced forming technology in an active working frame of 18 months. The group has had the leadership and coordination of IK4-Azterlan Metallurgical Technical Centre.

• ADI Group, focused on the development of this high performance cast material (Austempered Ductile Iron), with the participation of a significant number of companies throughout the complete value chain (design, auxiliary sector, foundries, heat treatment companies, machining companies and end user or customer companies).

• Joint manufacturing of components for transformers and electrical equipment, through the creation of a new business unit. This group is under preliminary analysis for a future constitution.

• Group of companies oriented to the constitution of local qualified supplier platforms. This group is also being set up under the auspices of the Competitiveness Agency.