Local services
Mayor of Debrecen László Papp stressed the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the region at the Supplier forum held at the Kölcsey Centre in Debrecen.
“We have to learn to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the geographical proximity of large international companies, the mayor said at the forum organised jointly by the Municipality of Debrecen, the EDC Economic Development Centre and the ADMA TranS4MErs at the Kölcsey Centre on Thursday. The city has a long-standing focus on supporting the development of the local SME sector, and the event, which aims to foster business relations between large and small companies, is another step in this direction.
Local investment and development will boost Debrecen’s economic strength by 2030: the city and county are expected to see a five-fold increase in output compared to ten years ago.
The shift of the centre of gravity of the domestic economy to the East is a huge opportunity for local SMEs, including as suppliers to high-tech corporations.
“Debrecen’s economic development policy can only be successful if the production chain includes an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises from Debrecen and the region,” the mayor said. The municipality has recently started the development of the first SME park in the country, located in a large industrial environment in the Southern Economic Zone. In addition, the EDC has had a dedicated department to support the SME sector since 2015, and the city will place even greater emphasis on promoting SME development and supplier engagement in the future.
Hungary is a meeting point for large technology companies at the cutting edge of the West and the East, which can be a breakthrough point for smaller Hungarian firms, László György, Government Commissioner of the Ministry of Economic Development, said at the forum, adding that the government is also a key supporter of the development of the SME sector. Going global through these companies, or developing innovative products and services of their own, is all about adding value to the lives of the people who live here and helping to ensure that more people have jobs, a secure livelihood and a decent income, he added.
Around 150 people attended the forum, which offered informal networking opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, in addition to a number of presentations and panel discussions. A European project involving 12 countries was also presented, providing experts and financial support for the digitalisation development of SMEs.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
