PROJECT CARRIED OUT IN COOPERATION WITH
ZONE 4.0 –
RESPONSE TO CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS NEEDS C reating modern solutions to enhance competitiveness and adjusting workers’ qualifications to the changing forms of reating modern solutions are to enhance competitiveness and production and services the challenges that adjusting workers’ qualifications to the changing forms contemporary business has to meet. And the of and services areEconomic the challenges that contemporary task production of the Lodz Special Zone business has to meet. And the task of the Lodz Special Economic (Lodz SEZ) is to support businesses in building Zone (Lodz SEZ) is to support businesses in building the economy the of the future. of theeconomy future.
C
Under the law on supporting new investment, the whole of PoUnder the law on supporting new investment, the whole land has been turned into a special economic zone. “It isPoland a newhas era when it comes to the rules economic of awarding state businesses. been turned into a special zone. “It aid is atonew era whenFirms it cowhich to receive support have innovativeFirms and create good mes towant the rules of granting state aidto tobe businesses. which want jobs. Additionally, the criteria for micro-businesses are 98% jobs. lowto receive support have to be innovative and create qualitative er than those largefor companies,” says President of thethan Lodzthose SpeAdditionally, thefor criteria micro-businesses are 98% lower cial Economic Zone says Marek Michalik. TheLodz investor may indicate the for large companies,” President of the Special Economic Zone place their to beindicate carriedthe out. If they meet the qualMarekwhere Michalik. Theproject investorismay place where their project itative quantitative – like for example, acquiring modis to beand carried out. If theycriteria meet the qualitative and quantitative criteria ern technologies, creating quality jobs, and developing cooperation – like for example, acquiring modern technologies, creating quality jobs, with local firms and scientific centres – they may receive state aid. In and developing cooperation with local firms and scientific centres – they Łódzkie province, it is enough to meet five of the 10 qualitative crimay receive state aid. In Łódzkie region, it is enough to meet five of the teria. The level of support depends on the scale of unemployment in 10 qualitative criteria. The level of support depends on the scale of unemthe county where the investor operates and state aid may be grantployment in the county where the investor operates and state aid may be ed for up to 15 years. granted for up to 15 years. Research and development departments are the main source of Research and development departments are the main source of innovation in corporations. However, in our rapidly changing world innovation in corporations. However, in our rapidly world there there is constant demand for new technology. Thischanging is why Lodz SEZ has is constant demand for new technology. This is why Lodz SEZ has decided decided to respond to the corporations’ demand for innovation while to respond to the corporations’ demandwith for innovation while solving at solving at the same time the problem the development of ideas the same time the problem with the development of ideas of young techof young technological firms. The intelligent diaper subscription sernological firms. The diaper subscription by vice developed by aintelligent start-up in conjunction withservice Procterdeveloped and Gamble a start-up in conjunction with Procter and Gamble and the system for and the system for interacting with participants in mass events deinteracting participants in mass eventsand developed in conjunction veloped inwith conjunction with Ericsson the Legia Warszawa with footEricsson the Legia Warszawa of football are only two examples of ball cluband are only two examples the 27club products and services develthe 27atproducts andSpark services developedof atLodz the Startup Spark Accelerator oped the Startup Accelerator SEZ. The Zone supports start-ups financially, involvesstart-ups mentorsfinancially, in their involves activitymentors and links of Lodz SEZ. The Zone supports in themactivity with the of with corporations. “Many projects developed their andresources links them the resources of corporations. “Many by start-ups in cooperation with have quickly entered projects developed by start-ups in corporations cooperation with corporations have
quickly entered the phase of commercialisation, bringing onto the market products and services, and solutions related to Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, gamification, unmanned aerial vehicles and e-commerce as well as the internal needs bringing of organisations,” Vice-President thesolutions phase offor commercialisation, onto thesays market products of the Lodz Special Economic Zone Agnieszka Sygitowicz. and services, and solutions related to Industry 4.0, artificial intelli-
gence, gamification, unmanned aerial vehicles and e-commerce as with corporations, start-ups will wellIn as conjunction solutions for the internal needs of organisations,” says Vicealso be helping to develop 5G technologies President of the Lodz Special Economic Zone Agnieszka and Sygitowicz. solutions based them, says President the “In conjunction with on corporations, start-ups willof also be helping Lodz Special Economic Zone Marek Michalik. to develop 5G technologies and solutions based on them,” says President of the Lodz Special Economic Zone Marek Michalik. “We will begin with the awareness potential futureof 5G applicaWe willbuilding begin with buildingofthe awareness tionspotential in industry.” future 5G applications in industry. But modern industry has greater needs than only preferential conditions for business andhas access to new technologies because the laBut modern industry greater needs than only preferential conbour market also puts to it. Companiesbecause cooperating with ditions for business andchallenges access to new technologies the labour Lodz SEZ are looking for employees to work on fully automated market also puts challenges to it. Companies cooperating with Lodz proSEZ duction lines, that is specialists in automation and robotics. Such edare looking for employees to work on fully automated production lines, ucation is now available only at higher educational institutions. This that is specialists in automation and robotics. Such education is now avais why, in cooperation with Miele Technika, Ceramika Tubądzin, Deilable only at higher educational institutions. This is why, in cooperation lia Cosmetics and the Łódź University of Technology, the Zone is gowith Miele Technika, Ceramika Tubądzin, Delia Cosmetics and the Łódź ing to open a secondary technical school responding to these needs. University of Technology, the Zone is going to open a secondary technical It will create an opportunity to educate future medium-level technischool responding to these needs. It will create an opportunity to educate cal staff able to meet specific needs of employers, in particular those future medium-level technical staff able to meet specific needs of eminvesting in Lodz SEZ. ployers, in particular those investing in Lodz SEZ. By creating the prospect for preparing highly specialised technicreating prospect highly specialised technical staff, calBy staff, Lodzthe SEZ intendsfor topreparing open a fresh chapter in linking educaLodz SEZ intends to open a fresh chapter in linking education and busition and business. The Technical School of Automation and Robotics ness. The Technical School of Automation and Robotics at the Lodz Speat the Lodz Special Economic Zone wants to provide quality vocacial Economic Zone wants to provide quality vocational education, which tional education, which will make the school-leavers prepared for will make and the school-leavers for mobility and flexibility onmarthe mobility flexibility on prepared the dynamically changing labour dynamically changing labour market, and will be developing their persoket, and will be developing their personal and social competencies. nal and competencies. Lodzneeds SEZ focuses theitreal needs of firms Lodzsocial SEZ focuses on the real of firmson and is already known and is already known that theyofare huge. Analyses of demand for specithatitthey are huge. Analyses demand for specific occupations are fic occupations areZone conducted by the to make theprecise. estimates more conducted by the to make the Zone estimates more Permits issued for operation Lodz SEZ alone indicate thatindicate the employers precise. Permits issuedinfor operation in Lodz SEZ alone that the will need nearly 6,000 people. A majorApart ofpart thisof demand is relatemployers will need nearly 6,000 people. major this demand is • ed to automation andand robotics. related to automation robotics. polish market
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