Does Clustering helps the economy ?

1. European Economic Congress Katowice, May 16, 2011 Does Clustering helps the economy ? Dr Ir Michel Morant CEO Tech Tranfer Office University of Liege, Belgium Member of the board of LIEU, belgium Chair-Elect Proton Europe

2. Clustering is not new • In the 19th century, the development of large companies was based on integrated industry • Transport of goods and people was the main problem • Steel industry : concentration around cool, iron mines, but including all needed tasks (trains, engineering, but also clothes, shoes for the workers) • Textile : around high quality water availibility : textile machines, tissue makers, elctric motors, … • In the 80’s, Italy launched technology districts : • f.i. Ceramica in Bologna : ceramic makers, engineering, machines for ceramic industry, design, marketing, R&D, exportation … all SMES’s in one dynamics • In the 90’s, automotive industry worked more and more according the « Just in time » concept : that means a lot of suppliers, managing the storage themselves, .. This is again a manufacturing based clustering European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

3. What is new in clustering ? • Globalisation : • Transport is not a challenge any more (or not yet) • Information is available everywhere, everywhen • Competition is global : products, goods, workforces, knowledge, education • 360° scopes for all activities of a company : • Markets, customers : domestic, international • Suppliers, partners : domestic, international • Human resources : mobility of people • R & D, Innovation : all disciplines can be involved • To much information kills information • How can this be managed by SME’s ? Even by industry ? Sharing experience and information in a focused field is today the main purpose for clustering European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

4. Focused field ? • Experience : • Industry know how for developing products, for producing, for exportation • people recruitment, continous education, … • Suppliers, service suppliers, soft innovation • Accouncy, tax engineering • International marketing • General purpose information : IP, entrepreneurship • Information : • Science and technology information • Market information • New methods • Cross–sectorial >< Sectorial • Cross-sectorial : focus on science park • Sectorial : focused on a market area European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

5. Science Parks :Cross sectorial based clustering • A community of high tech companies in position to exchange experience and information : • Permanent updating of technologies • Permanent exchange between academic science and industry needs • Good access for hiring young high educated people • Continuous education for high tech based companies (IP, marketing, ..) • Entrepreneurial community • Science park can be extended, by using new communication technologies • Specialized services to help SME’s : IP management, consultants for EU projects, for R&D projects • A national and international network of communities • SPOW in Wallonia, France Incubation, .. • IASP on international level • Europe Entreprises Network (EEN) , European Business Network (EBN) European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

6. Technology based ClustersA bottom-up dynamics • A community of companies sharing a common interest in the market : • Shared marketing : common presence in the fairs, • Echange of know how and experience to reinforce products • Sharing information of tenders, or market cahnges • Quoting together to some calls • Common actions to the customer opinion (leaders) • Shared continuous high tech master classes, or seminars • Exemples : • TWIST : digital cinema cluster • Eco-Construction : new techniques for economic and ecologic houses • Photonic : the use of light (laser industry, satellites, telescopes, …) • In total 14 in Wallonia European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

7. More than a Clusters …The Pole of Competitivenes • A top-down /bottom-up initiative • Sharing a common agenda between • Large companies • SME’s • Universities and research centers • The governement • Sharing common agenda for • Determining priorities for R&D • Lauching call for R&D projects (one call a year, FP7 like system) • Determining priorities for improving the skills of workforces • 6 Poles in Wallonia : • BioWin, SkyWin, Mecatech, Logistics, Wagralim, GreeWin European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

8. The Triple Helix system (H. Etzkowitz) Government IP policy Funding R&D Clustering policy Industry/SME’s Product development Research Knowledge transfer Continuous education University KTO European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

9. Research project MINT • MINT : Maintenance Intelligente (Steel Industry) • Purpose : Develop predictive maintenance in heavy proces (flat steel industry) • Pole of competitiveness Mecatech : call « smart systems » • Lead Industries : CMI (Equipment), ArcelorMittal • SME’s : ASB (sensors), Indium (sensors), Synthesis Metal (process) • Spin-offs : V2i (vibrations), Pepite (data mining) • Private research center: CRM • University Labs : ULg (Microsys, Cedia, VIS, Hololab, ASMA), ULB (sensors), UMons (sensors) • 15 partners • Total budget total : 8,7 M€, 50% funded by the governement.

10. Conclusions • Clustering aims at • reducing the gap between ideas and product • Helping to rise the relevant information for a given context • Clusters can be based • on geographical considerations, and be cross sectorial • On a technology sector • Clusters can be more than a cluster, fostering common agendas • Cluster should have appropriate support from the government European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011

11. Thank you for your attention • Some more information can be found on : • www.interface.ulg.ac.be • www.reseaulieu.be • www.spow.be • www.iasp.ws • clusters.wallonie.be • www.polesdecompetitivite.eu European Economic Congress, Katowice, May 2011