FIPA Activities

Visit of the FIPA Agency representatives to the Company Swisslion Food Industry Trebinje

3/20/2014

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Within Aftercare activities, the FIPA Agency representatives visited the company Swisslion Trebinje on 18th March of 2014 where they met with Tomo Bokic, General Director and Vesna Vujovic, Head of the Legal Department.

Swisslion Food Industry Trebinje currently employs about 390 workers with the aim to constantly increase the number. The basic part of the production program is the production of Eurokrem which is a brand of the Group, as well as the production of Turkish delight, flips, biscuit mixes, jams and ice cream.

In 2013, it continued with the planned expansion of production and installation of the two new production lines of chocolate.

They also discussed the announced project of opening a food factory food in Nevesinje.

In the former factory “Tvornica steznih glava” in Nevesinje it was invested 6.5 million EUR in the construction of the new juices’ plant. In the first phase of production in the Nevesinje factory, it will be employed 150 to 200 workers.

Also, the same day the FIPA team met with the Mayor of Trebinje Slavko Vucurevic who informed them about the investment projects in the sectors of metal processing, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and tourism, which could be realized in cooperation with FIPA.

Regarding the energy sector, Trebinje has potentials of solar energy for building photovoltaic power plants.

The factory “Industrija alata” was privatized and it was a leader in the region in the manufacture and export of cutting tools at the U.S. market.

The company ''Novotex” is bankrupt, but has manufacturing facilities and trained workers, and it can be attractive for potential foreign investors.

Also, the city of Trebinje offers a system of financial incentives for employment providing grant funds in the amount of 50,000 KM per employed worker (up to 20 new employees), and subsides interest rates for investment loans.

They also discussed the cooperation as well as the possibilities of its improvement in terms of a joint promotion of the potential that Trebinje has in order to attract foreign investors, who would invest their capital invested in the development of this region.

Testimonials & Success Stories
 

Global Investment Promotion Best Practices 2012 of the World Bank has cited one example of support that FIPA provides to foreign investors who are running business in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to contribute to increase the flow of foreign capital in the country.

The article said:  

„The Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of Bosnia and Herzegovina was an early convert to the idea of providing facilitation services to agribusiness investors as a way to maximize the positive impact of agriculture on the economy.

In 2007, for example, FIPA assisted a Dutch food processing company establish a US$1.6 million production facility to process unused milk ingredients into value-added products in Sarajevo to sell to markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

As part of its aftercare program, FIPA assisted the company with its expansion plans. Among other things, the agency helped facilitate veterinary permissions, navigate various bureaucratic hurdles and played an important role in securing funding for the company’s expansion. It also helped develop a network of local suppliers and customers. As a result of these efforts, the Dutch investor developed stronger links with the Bosnian economy, thus increasing the positive spillover effects on the local economy.

Currently a new investment to establish a drying facility for milk powder is under way. This will further expand the processing facilities of unused milk ingredients. This additional planned investment is worth approximately US$2.8 million, thus nearly trebling the company’s original investment in the country“.

 

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