Small and medium-sized enterprises are supported through specific commercial and technical advice, management training, provision of equipment, machines, tools, appliances, and training measures, tailored especially to fit the individual company’s needs, with the hope that this will enable these companies to secure their business, create new jobs, adapt to market-oriented products, increase competitiveness, and improve product quality. An important aspect of the project are the consultations offered on technology transfer and on problems concerning the co-operation between Czech and foreign companies. As of 2008, 201 companies had participated in the project.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are supported through specific commercial and technical advice, management training, provision of equipment, machines, tools, appliances, and training measures, tailored especially to fit the individual company’s needs, with the hope that this will enable these companies to secure their business, create new jobs, adapt to market-oriented products, increase competitiveness, and improve product quality. An important aspect of the project are the consultations offered on technology transfer and on problems concerning the co-operation between Polish and foreign companies.

The Centre provides advanced practical training courses for technicians on various topics, including the maintenance of production facilities, heavy machinery, and industrial electrical engineering. bw-i was responsible for providing instructors and equipment, as well as support offered in close co-operation with the TECSUP Private Foundation, which has been responsible for tending to the actual requirements on location. Other services of bw-i included the institutional building of the Centre with several long-term experts and further management capacity upgrading. Additional seminars were held in the format of short-term missions. Peruvian instructors have been trained for several months in Germany, including seminars and visits to German enterprises and other train-the-trainer measures. Besides holding technical training courses, the Centre also provides long-distance education and internet-based training lectures. Furthermore, consulting services are offered to the local industry.

Through this project, bw-i supported the German minority in Poland, especially through the economic aid for farmers via assistance in purchasing agricultural machines and tools. Additionally, bw-i assisted in procurement and the monitoring and evaluation of projects.

bw-i established a service centre in the wood-working sector for the development of SMEs. The aim of the centre is the development of SMEs through technology services, i.e. improving the competitiveness of existing SMEs and establishing new ones. The main activities of the centre include: production, tool service, vocational training, consulting, procurement and international co-operation. Short and long-term experts were sent to Ekaterinburg from Germany for the realisation of these aims. The measures also include the training of counterpart multipliers.

In close co-operation between the German and Russian Government, a community for 188 German-Russian families was built in Peterhof-Stelna, a suburb of St. Petersburg. A component of the settlement is an industrial area for national and international companies, which want to relocate in Peterhof-Strelna and create jobs for the German-Russian settlers. In addition, bw-i developed a conception for business promotion for the industrial area in Peterhof-Strelna.

Four independent institutions for SME consulting services and management training were united in a consultation centre for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. Consulting experts from all involved institutions were trained by German consultants. In addition, numerous Russian companies were advised via on-the-job training for the Russian experts. Further consultation was given to encourage business relations between Russian and foreign companies and to promote access to European markets. Advanced training was given to the Russian consultants, both locally and in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are supported through specific commercial and technical advice, management training, provision of equipment, machines, tools, appliances, and training measures, tailored especially to fit the individual company’s needs, with the hope that this will enable these companies to secure their business, create new jobs, adapt to market-oriented products, increase competitiveness, and improve product quality. An important aspect of the project are the consultations offered on technology transfer and on problems concerning the co-operation between Slovak and foreign companies.

A general strategy for the Slovak transport sector was developed for the use of recycled construction materials in the building of new roads and rail substructures, which previously did not exist in Slovakia. The activities of the pilot study concern the preparation of the following: a feasibility survey of the organisation of transport construction waste recycling and considerations on rentability; a survey of the state-of-the-art technologies in EU member states; a survey about the organisation and marketing within EU member states; identification of legal demands for implementation with the relevant EU guidelines being of highest priority; identification of environmental and macroeconomic advantages; recognition of investment demands; and recommendations for practical organisation/implementation of a recycling plant network in Slovakia.