On 23.04.2024 RIC “Ambitious Gabrovo” organized a regional workshop involving 15 manufacturing companies, including those specialized in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies, to debate on sustainability challenges. The event was also supported by local authorities and Technical University of Gabrovo.
Desislava Koleva from the Municipality of Gabrovo presented the sustainability indicators identified for the region of Gabrovo. Then followed a discussion on the challenges that company face related to smart and sustainable business.
The main challenges identified were as follows:
- lack of skilled and reliable work force;
- disruption of value chains due to conflicts around the world;
- difficulty in finding companies to buy industrial waste;
- shrinkage of orders;
- limited investment activity;
- lack of government funds for purchasing purification facilities, which cost millions;
- when you apply for a loan to invest in innovation or high technology, banks refuse because the risk is high and they are not sure the loan will repaid;
- following the sustainability indicators makes the administrative work in the companies very difficult.
Four companies delivered presentations about different solutions and perspectives on sustainability.
The question about “If there were not those challenges, what would that mean for your business?”, was answered by Petar Petrov, representative of Adlerverke, “Our businesses would thrive. But there will always be challenges, if not these, there will be some others. This is how we learn and build on our adaptive skills.”
Through the panel debate, the image is reinforced that public and private interests have difficulty agreeing on having a common view of the challenges and that solutions need to be sought together.
Svetoslav Mateev, owner of Pastili Co., ended his speech “When the state or the EU imposes new regulations, it must also provide funding opportunities for them.”
