Petrol Krka GEN-I Holding Slovenske elektrarne Lek Gorenje BSH Hišni aparati Revoz NLB Hidria Letrika Perutnina Ptuj Droga Kolinska Helios Jub Cinkarna Celje Riko Ljubljanske mlekarne Edition South East Europe DiscoverOctober 2018 Slovenia Photo: Depositphotos Champions of Niche Comtrade Unior Julon Elan Roto Iskra Vipap Videm Krško Intereuropa Eti Elektroelement TAB Tovarna akumulatorskih baterij SŽ-tovorni promet Studio Moderna Paloma Bosio Celjske mesnine The Original for 50 years PERSONAL. INNOVATIVE. SUSTAINABLE. RELIABLE. FROM STEEL. TO SHELVING. www.tegometall.com Complete shop fitting and storage technology solutions. ■ Planning and designing shop and storage layouts ■ Production of serial and individual retail equipment Tegometall inženiring d.o.o., ■ Shop renovations Cesta Kozjanskega odreda 29, SI – 3230 Šentjur, ■ Service and installation +386 (0)3 74 63 244, [email protected] Iskra is a globally recognized provider of intelligent industrial solutions and cutting-edge electrotechnical products. THE WORLD OF - ENERGY SECTOR - ELECTROTECHNICAL COMPONENTS INTELLIGENT - EFFICIENT INSTALLATIONS - TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS - TELECOMMUNICATIONS - SECURITY, SUPPLY AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT Be part of the future and visit WWW.ISKRA.EU Establishing and developing MODERN . LOGISTICAL CENTERS in southeast Europe The Original for 50 years PERSONAL. INNOVATIVE. SUSTAINABLE. RELIABLE. FROM STEEL. TO SHELVING. www.tegometall.com Complete shop fitting and storage technology solutions. ■ Planning and designing shop and storage layouts 180 ha IN THE SUBURBS OF BELGRADE | 32.000 m2 UNDER CONSTRUCTION ■ Production of serial and individual retail equipment Tegometall inženiring d.o.o., 500 m FROM THE HIGHWAY ZAGREB - BELGRADE | 30.000 m2 OF LOGISTICS AREAS ■ Shop renovations Cesta Kozjanskega odreda 29, SI – 3230 Šentjur, ■ Service and installation +386 (0)3 74 63 244, [email protected] Contact us for more information: [email protected] WWW.IPB.RS Discover Slovenia South East Europe October 2018 Published by: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia Dimičeva 13, SI-1504 Ljubljana, Slovenia Virtually All of Slovenia’s Largest Companies Are Present on the Editor in Chief: Markets of SE Europe 8 Samo Hribar Milič Executive Editor: Ana Vučina Vršnak Design: Samo Grčman Layout: Nenad Bebić Editorial Board: Grit Ackermann, Ariana Grobelnik, Bojan Ivanc, Igor Knez, Tomaž Kordiš, Janja Leban, Ante Milevoj, Tajda Pelicon, Petra Prebil Bašin, Igor Slovenia Is an Excellent Testing Slovenia a Benchmark d. VIDEM KRŠKO, paper Viprint, on the recycled Printed 80 g, by VIPAP Zorko Ground for New Digital Solutions for Sustainability and Editorial Office: and Business Models 24 EcoFriendliness in SE Europe 30 Dimičeva 13, SI-1504 Ljubljana, Slovenia +386 1 5898 000 Editorial [email protected] Slovenia Has Found a Winning Formula 5 Advertising Sales: Info Dašis, d.o.o. Slovenia 6 [email protected] Overview 01 5130 824 Top Business Linked Data 15 Printed by: Present, d. o. o. Success Story Published on: 18 October 2018 Slovenia, the European Union’s Current Star Performer 16 Distributed by: Pošta Slovenije Advantages Discover Slovenia is a special edition of Glas Why Do Business in Slovenia? 20 gospodarstva. Statements Glas gospodarstva is published by the Chamber Slovenian Companies Seeking New Partners, Sales Reps, Employees 23 of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Dimičeva Tourism 13, Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is entered into the mass media register held by Slovenia’s Ministry The Majority of Tourists from the Western Balkans in Slovenia Are of Education, Science and Sport, under serial Croats and Serbs 38 number 516. Interview Andrej Lasič: Companies on All Markets Require Comprehensive Financial ISSN 13183672 Solutions 40 Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia This magazine is printed on the recycled paper The CCIS Recipe Contacts + RDI = Contract 44 Viprint by VIPAP VIDEM KRŠKO, d. d., which has obtained the FSC® Certificate for the whole range Slovenian Top Products 46-91 of their paper grades, and the European Ecolabel Sustainable Mobility 46 Strategic Logistics 74 (flower logo) for some of their products from the Smart Home 56 Specialised Materials 80 product group of copying and graphic paper. Contemporary IT 60 Smart Electronics 86 Environmentally-friendly vegetable-based inks Health and Wellbeing 64 Niche Champions 90 were used in printing. Top Exporters 93-97 Slovenia’s 100 Biggest Exporters Account for Half of All Exports 93 List of 100 Largest Companies by Sales on Foreign Markets in 2017 94 100 Fastest Growing Companies by Exports 2012-2017 97 Editorial Slovenia Has Found a Winning Formula Slovenia is a proud and beautiful country, and we like high quality of life, and rapid growth in tourism and to think of ourselves as the best: that our wonderful other services. The economy is, therefore, growing. Its tourist centres are the friendliest around, that we ambitions are big and the openness of the Slovenian have the best basketball team (in Europe at least, environment makes it an attractive location for ambi- where we were last year’s champions), that we tious projects from across the globe. have the most stunning mountains (although we’re Foreign-owned companies today generate over prepared to admit that there are other, even more 20% of GDP and almost 30% of exports. The number awesome mountain ranges in Europe), and that we of foreign-owned companies has already passed the have superb infrastructure (although we are well 8,000 mark, but there are still numerous projects ripe aware that our railways need to be modernised). for new investment as well as acquisition. Slovenia is When Slovenia became a full member of the headed for an economic boom. It is recognised as a European Union 14 years ago, a new chapter opened market of promise, as it contains not only the people in the country’s economic development. Although its of Slovenia itself but also the markets of all its neigh- economy, even in the former Yugoslavia, was oriented bouring countries. As part of the EU, they form part towards foreign exports, Slovenia’s entry into the EU of a single market, with the same customs legislation gave new impetus to the economy. In the meantime, and the same technical standards. though, the country had to experience a period of Why do business with Slovenia and why does it pay crisis, at the global and domestic levels. The economy to invest here? What has brought the Visegrad Group was highly indebted, in many places outdated, and and Slovenia so closely together over the last decade? too slow to respond to changes in demand and the First of all, Slovenia’s excellent transport infrastruc- large developmental advances being made else- ture and geographical proximity. The Port of Koper is a where. However, in the last few years the country has window on the world for many companies in the region. transformed itself from the sick man of the EU to one The second reason in favour of investment is the fact of the stars of the continent’s economy. that Slovenia offers a highly qualified workforce at all The investments made in development and new levels, with the majority speaking one or more foreign markets, in people and skills have borne fruit in only languages. The country is open to new investments, a short amount of time. Companies have repaid their the formerly protracted procedure of acquiring permits loans, invested in development and people, and seen has been simplified, and the Investment Promotion Act exports rise sharply. Slovenian products from the car, has opened the doors wide to more rapid economic pharmaceuticals, chemicals and the household appli- development. Overall taxes are lower than the EU aver- ance sectors are known worldwide. The government age. Slovenia is a safe and satisfying country in which to is also changing the conditions for doing business, live and do business, and the quality of public services getting rid of administrative obstacles, earmark- exceeds the European average. Political stability and ing new zones for investors and helping to develop a competitive business environment have a positive employee skills. Together, this has led to several years effect on credit rating stability – all of which justifies our of stability and above-average economic growth, a optimism regarding the future. The country is open to new investments, the formerly protracted procedure of acquiring permits has been simplified, and the Investment Promotion Act has opened the doors wide to more rapid economic development. Samo Hribar Milič, Editor in Chief Discover Slovenia. Champions of Niche. October 2018 5 Info Printed on the recycled paper Viprint, 80 g, by VIPAP VIDEM KRŠKO, d. VIDEM KRŠKO, paper Viprint, on the recycled Printed 80 g, by VIPAP Photo: slovenia.infoPhoto: Slovenia Official name: Republic of Slovenia Location: borders Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia; Capital: Ljubljana offers ideal connections with all European markets Official gateway Political system: parliamentary republic Currency: euro to information Head of state: Borut Pahor (president) GDP per capita: EUR 20,815 (2017) on Slovenia: Head of government: Marjan Šarec Economic growth forecast for 2018: 4.5% (Eastern Administrative divisions: 212 municipalities, of European Consensus), 4.4% (European Commission), which 11 have urban status; 12 statistical regions 3.9% (CCI analysis) combined into two cohesion regions (Western Time zone: CET (GMT+1), CEST (GMT+2) in summer Slovenia and Eastern Slovenia) Languages: Slovene, and Italian and