Specialization III: Innovative industry

Smart specialization - Innovative industry is a specialization built on the basis of the specificity of a region characterized by a strong presence of traditional sectors of the economy, i.e. metal, automotive, wood, furniture and paper industries. These are traditional industries where an increase in employment and production volume is observed in the voivodship, but with the use of new technologies. In these sectors, in addition to large companies operating, for example, in the K-S SEZ, there are also small and medium-sized enterprises that have the appropriate knowledge and needs to use new technologies. These enterprises, due to their long-standing regional traditions, have become a permanent fixture in the industry landscape of the region and are one of the most important sectors of the economy of the Lubuskie Voivodeship.

This specialization covers development in the area of ​​innovative (modern) traditional industries generated on the basis of:

• automotive industry - identified as the current key industry for the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The automotive industry has been playing an important role in the Polish economy for years, both in terms of gross value added, investments and available jobs, as well as the income of the population. The automotive industry is a large sector for which there are also numerous industry-related complementary sectors, including: financial and business services related to the sale and maintenance of vehicles, road transport, production and sale of automotive fuels, and road construction. Sectors related to the automotive industry include, for example: banking activities related to granting car loans; leasing services relating to the purchase of motor vehicles; insurance activities related to motor insurance or road transport.
  The automotive industry in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is represented by, inter alia, foreign investors operating in the region, including: BCC Polska (location - Nowa Sól, country of origin of the capital - France), Jost (location - Nowa Sól, country of origin of the capital - Germany), Gedia Poland Assembly (location Nowa Sól, country of origin capital - Germany), the company Alumetal Poland (a Polish company with its registered office in Nowa Sól, which was established from the merger on 2 December 2013 of Alumetal Nowa Sól and Alumetal Gorzyce - Podkarpackie Voivodeship); Faurecia Gorzów Sp. z o.o. (location - Gorzów Wlkp., country of origin of the capital - France); Volkswagen Poznań S.A. (location - Gorzów Wlkp., country of origin of the capital - Germany)
• metal industry including enterprises dealing with the production of machines, devices, assemblies and metal parts as well as welded structures and products - the area identified as the current key industry for the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The metal industry is a very large sector concentrated in many European cities and regions, dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises acting as sub-suppliers for various industries, such as: automotive, aviation, machinery, transport, construction and energy industries. The development of this sector in Poland is significantly influenced by the investments of international companies operating within the machinery sub-sector, including companies such as: BSH (Bosh), Samsung, LG, Electrolux, Timken, Alstom. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office of Poland, in 2013 there were about 69,000 registered enterprises of the metal industry, of which over 1700 enterprises operated in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, and in the last 4 years there has been an increase in the number of registered business entities in this area. The metal industry in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is represented, among others, by: FMD "GOMAD" Sp. z o.o., AE Group Polska, Gotech, Holding - ZREMB Gorzów S.A.
• wood, furniture and paper industries - constituting important industrial sectors of the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The wood industry and furniture production are industries that in the past were classified as well-developed sectors of industry in the Lubuskie Province. Recently, the economic potential of this area in the region has slightly decreased. However, this industry should be treated as important due to the balancing of the development of the region - rural and urban areas, and in particular employment of inhabitants of smaller towns and villages. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS), in 2013 there were registered in Poland: over 36 thousand enterprises from the industry producing wood and cork products, of which 1.2 thous. enterprises, approx. 5.6 thous. enterprises in the production of paper products and paper products, of which 119 enterprises, over 27.3 thousand enterprises from the furniture production industry, of which over 663 enterprises operated in the Lubuskie voivodship. These sectors in Lubuskie are represented, for example, by: Lamix in Witnica, Hanke Tissue and Arctic Paper in Kostrzyn, Lubuskie Fabryki Mebli S. A. in Świebodzin, JARMEL Furniture Factory in Zielona Góra,
• mining industry - potential identified as a strategic area for the Lubuskie Voivodeship, offering a chance for future development; Deposits of raw materials, especially lignite, are located in the vicinity of the communes of Gubin, Lubsko and Brody. In addition to the planned extraction of this raw material, the construction of a power plant using the extracted coal is also planned. "The protection of deposits of a strategic nature (...) is one of the elements of increasing the country's energy security, included in the National Spatial Development Concept 2030". KPZK 2030 also envisages the construction of a power plant in the vicinity of Gubin with a capacity of over 800 MW.

Potential of the area of ​​specialization:

The innovative (modern) traditional industry as an intelligent specialization of the Lubuskie Voivodeship finds its roots in the region's development potentials identified in the research. The potential of this area of ​​specialization is created now or will be created in the future by:

• enterprises of the automotive sector, mainly enterprises supporting this sector, within which the highest level of employment was identified in the Lubuskie Voivodeship;
• enterprises of the metal sector, the presence and development of which in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is conditioned by the long-standing traditions of the region. In Lubuskie, the metal industry has always been an important part of the economic potential, and its current potential is still significant;
• enterprises from the wood, furniture and paper sectors, also with significant employment potential, similarly to the previous two industries identified as key areas of economic specialization in the voivodeship, mining sector enterprises constituting a strategic area for the Lubuskie voivodeship with a large development potential in the future;
• the natural potential of the region - Lubuskie is a region with significant natural values, but so far little exposed and used; the dormant potential of the region, which, however, proves the specificity and perception of the voivodeship as a forested region, somewhat predestined for the development of production in the area of, for example, paper production;
• developing clusters, e.g. Lubuski Metal Cluster in Gorzów Wlkp. - so far the only cluster qualified for PARP research - Cluster Benchmarking in Poland, profile of Lubuskie universities - potential for future development based on e.g. University of Zielona Góra and PWZ in Gorzów Wlkp.

Justification of the choice:

Compliance of the proposed area of ​​smart specialization with the identified potentials of the region and priority development directions in Poland and in the world;

• the potential of the automotive sector companies that operate intensively, e.g. in the K-SSEZ;
• the potential of companies from the metal sector - an industry with a long tradition of operation in the Lubuskie Voivodeship;
• the potential of companies in the wood, furniture and paper sectors, which, considered together, have a significant employment potential in the region;
• the natural potential of the Lubuskie Voivodeship for development in the area of, for example, the wood or paper industry;
• compliance of the proposed area of ​​specialization with the tendencies observed in highly developed countries to strengthen the position and importance of small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly important, e.g. in the case of the metal industry;
• dynamically growing demand for innovative products and services in the proposed area all over the world - great development potential of individual sectors of the specialization area;
• close connection of the proposed area of ​​specialization with the Green Economy specialization, enabling the creation of value chains and generating added value between these specializations, e.g. the metal industry may be an important link in the value chain in relation to such industries as agriculture, environmental technologies, and waste management;
• developing institutional facilities supporting this industry, e.g. for the metal industry - University of Zielona Góra and PWSZ in Gorzów Wlkp.

Expected economic effects:

• development of companies in the area of ​​specialization;
• creating new innovative technology and service companies, also on the basis of small and medium-sized enterprises with long traditions of functioning in the voivodeship;
• increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of companies in the area of ​​specialization, also by increasing exports and imports of new innovative solutions;
• focusing development on domestic and foreign recipients; growing importance of the position of local enterprises;
• strengthening the scientific and research and development potential in the area of ​​specialization;
• new links within the framework of specialization, e.g. cooperation of the metal sector with all indicated branches of industry;
• development of cooperation between the spheres of science, research and development and the enterprise sector;

Planned innovative effects:

• acceptance of pro-innovative attitudes, increased interest in selling new or istocuts improved products / services introduced to the market, with new solutions both in the field of medical technologies and services, and in relation to companies in the agri-food sector and companies supporting the development of specialization, especially in the field of information technology;
• the growing share of companies from the Lubuskie Voivodeship in the group of leaders on both local and regional and foreign markets;
• increase in the level of technological advancement of the surveyed companies;
• increase in the level of involvement in international activities;
• increased interest in cooperation between companies in the area of specialization and the sphere of science and business environment institutions.

Specialization II: Health and quality of life

Smart specialization - Innovative industry is a specialization built on the basis of the specificity of a region characterized by a strong presence of traditional sectors of the economy, i.e. metal, automotive, wood, furniture and paper industries. These are traditional industries where an increase in employment and production volume is observed in the voivodship, but with the use of new technologies. In these sectors, in addition to large companies operating e.g. in the K-S SEZ, there are also small and medium-sized enterprises that have the appropriate knowledge and needs to use new technologies. These enterprises, due to their long-standing regional traditions, have become a permanent fixture in the industry landscape of the region and constitute one of the most important sectors of the economy of the Lubuskie Voivodeship.

This specialization covers development in the area of ​​innovative (modern) traditional industries generated on the basis of:

• automotive industry - identified as the current key industry for the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The automotive industry has for years been playing an important role in the Polish economy, both in terms of gross value added, investments and available jobs, or the income of the population. The automotive industry is a large sector for which there are also numerous industry-related complementary sectors, including: financial and business services related to the sale and maintenance of vehicles, road transport, production and sale of automotive fuels, and road construction. Sectors related to the automotive industry include, for example: banking activities related to granting car loans; leasing services relating to the purchase of motor vehicles; insurance activities related to motor insurance or road transport.
  
  The automotive industry in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is represented, among others, by foreign investors operating in the region, including: BCC Polska (location - Nowa Sól, country of origin of the capital - France), Jost (location - Nowa Sól, country of origin of the capital - Germany), Gedia Poland Assembly (location Nowa Sól, country of origin capital - Germany), Alumetal Poland (a Polish company with its registered office in Nowa Sól, which was established on December 2, 2013 of Alumetal Nowa Sól and Alumetal Gorzyce - Podkarpackie Voivodeship); Faurecia Gorzów Sp. z o.o. (location - Gorzów Wlkp., country of origin of the capital - France); Volkswagen Poznań S.A. (location - Gorzów Wlkp., country of origin of the capital - Germany)

• metal industry including enterprises dealing with the production of machines, devices, assemblies and metal parts as well as welded structures and products - the area identified as the current key industry for the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The metal industry is a very large sector concentrated in many European cities and regions, dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises acting as sub-suppliers to various industries, such as the automotive, aviation, machinery, transport, construction and energy industries. The development of this sector in Poland is significantly influenced by the investments of international concerns operating within the machinery sub-sector, including companies such as: BSH (Bosh), Samsung, LG, Electrolux, Timken, Alstom. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office of Poland, in 2013 there were about 69,000 registered offices in Poland. enterprises of the metal industry, of which over 1700 enterprises operated in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, and in the last 4 years there has been an increase in the number of registered business entities in this area. The metal industry in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is represented, among others, by: FMD "GOMAD" Sp. z o.o., AE Group Polska, Gotech, Holding - ZREMB Gorzów S.A.

• the wood, furniture and paper industries - which are important industries in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The wood industry and furniture production are industries that in the past were classified as well-developed industries in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. Recently, the economic potential of this area in the region has slightly decreased. However, this industry should be treated as important due to the balancing of the development of the region - rural and urban areas, and in particular employment of inhabitants of smaller towns and villages. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS), in 2013 there were registered in Poland: over 36 thousand enterprises from the industry producing wood and cork products, of which 1.2 thous. enterprises, approx. 5.6 thous. enterprises in the production of paper products and paper products, of which 119 enterprises, over 27.3 thousand enterprises from the furniture production industry, of which over 663 enterprises operated in the Lubuskie voivodship. These sectors in Lubuskie are represented, for example, by: Lamix in Witnica, Hanke Tissue and Arctic Paper in Kostrzyn, Lubuskie Fabryki Mebli S. A. in Świebodzin, JARMEL Fabryka Mebli in Zielona Góra,

• mining industry - potential identified as a strategic area for the Lubuskie Voivodeship, offering a chance for future development; Deposits of raw materials, especially lignite, are located in the vicinity of the communes of Gubin, Lubsko and Brody. In addition to the planned extraction of this raw material, the construction of a power plant using the extracted coal is also planned. "The protection of deposits of a strategic nature (...) is one of the elements of increasing the country's energy security, included in the National Spatial Development Concept 2030". KPZK 2030 also envisages the construction of a power plant in the vicinity of Gubin with a capacity of over 800 MW.

Potential of the area of ​​specialization:

The innovative (modern) traditional industry as an intelligent specialization of the Lubuskie Voivodeship finds its roots in the development potentials identified in the research. The potential of this area of ​​specialization is created now or will be created in the future by:

• enterprises of the automotive sector, mainly enterprises supporting this sector, within which the highest level of employment was identified in the Lubuskie Voivodeship;
• enterprises of the metal sector, the presence and development of which in the Lubuskie Voivodeship is conditioned by the long-standing traditions of the region. In the Lubuskie Voivodeship, the metal industry has always been an important part of the economic potential, and its current potential is still significant;
• enterprises of the wood, furniture and paper sectors, also with significant employment potential, similarly to the previous two industries identified as key areas of economic specialization in the voivodeship, mining sector enterprises constituting a strategic area for the Lubuskie voivodeship with a large development potential in the future;
• the natural potential of the region - Lubuskie is a region with significant natural values, but so far little exposed and used; the dormant potential of the region, which, however, proves the specificity and perception of the voivodeship as a forested region, somewhat predestined for the development of production in the area of, for example, paper production;
• developing clusters, e.g. Lubuski Metal Cluster in Gorzów Wlkp. - so far the only cluster qualified for PARP research - Cluster Benchmarking in Poland, profile of universities in Lubuskie - potential for future development based on e.g. University of Zielona Góra and PWZ in Gorzów Wlkp.

Justification of the choice:

• Compliance of the proposed area of ​​smart specialization with the identified potentials of the region and priority development directions in Poland and in the world;
• the potential of the automotive sector companies that operate intensively, e.g. in the K-SSEZ;
• the potential of companies from the metal sector - an industry with long traditions of operation in the Lubuskie Voivodeship;
• the potential of companies in the wood, furniture and paper sectors, which, considered together, have a significant employment potential in the region;
• the natural potential of the Lubuskie Voivodeship for development in the area of, for example, the wood or paper industry;
• compliance of the proposed area of ​​specialization with the tendencies observed in highly developed countries to strengthen the position and importance of small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly important, e.g. in the case of the metal industry;
• dynamically growing demand for innovative products and services in the proposed area all over the world - great development potential of individual sectors of the specialization area;
• close connection of the proposed area of ​​specialization with the Green Economy specialization, enabling the creation of value chains and generating added value between these specializations, e.g. the metal industry may be an important link in the value chain in relation to such industries as agriculture, environmental technologies, and waste management;
• developing institutional facilities supporting this industry, e.g. for the metal industry - University of Zielona Góra and PWSZ in Gorzów Wlkp.

Expected economic effects:

• development of companies in the area of ​​specialization;
• creation of new innovative technology and service companies, also on the basis of small and medium-sized enterprises with long traditions of functioning in the voivodeship;
• increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of companies in the area of ​​specialization, also by increasing exports and imports of new innovative solutions;
• focusing development on domestic and foreign recipients; growing importance of the position of local enterprises;
• strengthening the scientific and research and development potential in the area of ​​specialization;
• new links within the specialization, e.g. cooperation of the metal sector with all indicated industries;
• development of cooperation between the spheres of science, research and development and the enterprise sector;

Planned innovative effects:

• acceptance of pro-innovative attitudes, increased interest in the sale of new or significantly improved products / services introduced to the market, new solutions both in the field of medical technologies and services, and in relation to companies from the agri-food sector and companies supporting the development of specialization, especially in the field of information technology;

• growing share of companies from the Lubuskie Voivodeship in the group of leaders on both local and regional and foreign markets;
• increase in the level of technological advancement of the surveyed companies;
• increase in the level of involvement in international activities;
• increased interest in cooperation between companies in the area of ​​specialization and the sphere of science and business environment institutions.

Specialization I: Green Economy

Green Economy is a specialization of significant importance for the development of the region. It is based on the priority directions existing in Poland and throughout Europe related to the dynamic development of environmental technologies, including eco-industry, eco-innovation and renewable energy technologies.

This specialization includes:

• the development of environmental technologies in particular in conjunction with a bioeconomy encompassing virtually all sectors and related services that produce, process or use any form of biological resources. According to the OECD definition, environmental technologies include all kinds of products, technological processes, services and even concepts of operation which, during their life cycle, cause much less environmental impact than other, alternative substitutes. Their use is related to, inter alia, reducing pollution, environmental risk and other negative impacts resulting from the use of resources (including energy) in relation to alternative solutions. The tools used in the framework of environmental technologies are products and services, including IT systems, measurement systems and procedures, which improve the eco-efficiency of environmental technologies or support their innovative development.

Environmental technologies include:

• renewable energy sources (RES),
• recovery of raw materials and energy from waste,
• unconventional fuels,
• waste disposal.

As part of the bioeconomy, intensive research in many fields of science is combined with the innovative, comprehensive use of renewable raw materials generated in the world of plants, animals and microorganisms.

• related industries, such as: the ICT sector, the metal industry providing services for the area of environmental technologies and services, logistics processes (e.g. distribution and warehousing, etc.). The area of specialization is mainly focused on the technological area, in this case services are a complementary link

As part of environmental technologies, we can talk about cleaner production technologies, these are environmental technologies, with the exception of those that rely on removing the effects of pollution instead of preventing it.

The area of ​​environmental technologies includes:

Biotechnologies for environmental protection, Technologies for intelligent and energy-saving construction in terms of sustainable development, Technologies for environmental protection and reclamation, including biogeochemical engineering and waste management, Technologies for industrial and hazardous waste management, Processing technologies (purification and separation) of water and gases, collection and treatment water, Technologies limiting the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, Technologies supporting environmental management.

The potential of this area of ​​specialization is created by:

enterprises involved in the production of environmental technologies, enterprises from the bioeconomy sector - also created by enterprises from the agri-food sector, complementary to the production directions present in the region, e.g. linseed oil and business support institutions - R&D centers such as the Lubuski Center for Agrotechnical Innovation and Implementation and centers in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency, such as Gorzowski Ośrodek Technologiczny, Park Naukowo-Przemysłowy Sp. z o.o., Center for Renewable Energy in Sulechów and the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Zielona Góra.

In line with the trends in highly developed countries aimed at improving the quality of life - this specialization is closely related to the Health and Quality of Life specialization in the region, allowing for the creation of value chains and the generation of added value between these specializations, e.g. the environmental technology industry can be an important link in the value chain in relation to industries such as tourism and agritourism.

The developing natural potential of the voivodeship, creating opportunities for the development of this industry, including the area of ​​arable lands conducive to the cultivation of perennial energy crops, significant forestation of the region, a large share of non-urbanized areas in the total area; systematically increasing number of installations producing energy from renewable sources; well-used potential of hydropower; production of electricity in combination with the production of heat in modern generation sources, using local resources of natural gas; diversity of entities representing a significant part of enterprises dealing with renewable energy sources, i.e .: biogas plants with wastewater treatment plants, onshore wind farms, run-of-river hydropower plants, pumped storage or run-of-river hydropower plants with a pump element, raw materials produced from biomass: from forest waste, agricultural waste , garden, agricultural biogas, landfill biogas.

Environmental technologies can be found in almost all sectors of the economy, especially in the pollution control, water and waste management sectors, and in the energy sector. These technologies reduce emissions, generate less waste and have a lower impact on health and biodiversity, as well as helping to reduce costs and increase competitiveness; in addition, bioeconomy, which is part of the area of ​​specialization, also covers the issues of energy obtained from renewable sources, as well as manufacturing processes, including such industries as: paper, some chemical, cosmetic or pharmaceutical. The bioeconomy, playing an integrating role in this regard, is of key importance for the further development of the European Union; development in the area of ​​environmental technologies and bioeconomy is related to the necessity to apply new innovative production methods stimulating greater interest in innovative technologies, products and services.

Economic effects:

• development of companies in the area of ​​specialization;
• creation of new innovative companies in the field of environmental technologies and services;
• increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of bioeconomy companies, also by increasing the export of high-quality products;
• focusing development on domestic and foreign recipients;
• strengthening the image of the region as a region with significant natural potential, clean environment, also focused on the development of highly innovative environmental technologies and services, and bioeconomy;
• development of support companies, especially in the field of information technology;
• creating new links within the framework of specialization between the area of ​​environmental technologies and services and bioeconomy and other supporting industries, including, for example, the ICT sector, the metal industry providing services for the environmental industry, the packaging industry, or logistics processes related to e.g. distribution;
• strengthening the scientific and research and development potential in the area of ​​specialization; development of cooperation between the spheres of science, research and development and the enterprise sector;
• development in the area of ​​human capital (development of scientific staff, development of specialist staff in the regional economy, creation of well-paid jobs), which is an important link in the area of ​​environmental technologies and services, and bioeconomy.

Innovative effects:

• acceptance of pro-innovative attitudes, increased interest in: sale of new or significantly improved products / services introduced to the market, new solutions both in the field of environmental technologies and services and in relation to companies in the bioeconomy area and companies supporting the development of specialization, especially in the field of information technology;
• growing share of companies from the Lubuskie Voivodeship in the group of leaders on both local and regional markets as well as foreign markets;
• increase in the level of technological advancement of the surveyed companies;
• increase in the level of involvement in international activities;
• increased interest in cooperation between companies in the area of ​​specialization and the sphere of science and business environment institutions;
• increase in the development potential of companies in the specialization area, in accordance with the opinions of experts indicating that: "Lubuskie Voivodeship will be a leader in the development of environmental technologies and services in Poland" by 2030 at the latest.

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