Vertical integration is our aim and your benefit

With all the competitive advantages of an investment location of Serbia, the Local Suppliers are one additional reason for the investors to choose Serbia as their new investment destination.

Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) is making visible efforts to enhance the business capacities of the local suppliers by implementing Supplier Development Program, which is in the line with the strategic priorities of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Republic of Serbia is a country of a growing sector of small and medium enterprises with increasing involvement in the production of components and semi-finished products for final installation into complex finished products, whether these are means of transport, production machinery and equipment, furniture, electronics or other products for personal and industrial use. The development of local suppliers with the ability to integrate into the value chain of MNC, combined with significant foreign direct investments in this sector, show the potential for further growth and improvement of companies.

With the creation of the Program, RAS mediates in the creation of frameworks for establishing commercial relations between MNCs and local companies, in order to enable better integration of foreign investors in the local economic system. The Program is based on the best experiences of implementing similar activities in the countries of Western and Central Europe.

Program covers:

• Analysis of the MNCs needs
• Mapping of potential suppliers,
• Conducting the business performance diagnostics of local suppliers
• Assisting the Program beneficiaries in the target production capacity improvement
• Subsequent connection with potential buyers.

Program supports the following sectors: automotive industry, devices and components for the automotive industry (plastics, rubber, and machines/equipment); metal processing; machinery and equipment sector for other purposes; rubber and plastics sector; manufacturing sector of household appliances and parts of household appliances; sector of electrical and electronic systems and elements of electrical and electronic systems.

The successful implementation of the Program is further supported with the establishment of the Advisory board, composed of the representatives of relevant MNCs operating on the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

The Program co-finances the activities of the Program Beneficiaries regarding the preparation and implementation of improvement of their business performance, in accordance with the requirements of MNC:

• Investing in the tangible property of the Program Beneficiary

• Purchasing production equipment (up to 3 years old)
• Improving the production facilities
• Purchasing and installing equipment for the automation/digitalization/ optimization of the existing production processes as well as advanced systems/ equipment for inter-phase control of quality and finished products quality

• Consultancy support for

• Optimization of production processes
• Introduction or improvement of corporative management
• Certification of the quality system according to the requirements of standards for industry-specific branches

The first Public call was announced in 2019 and 19 Program beneficiaries were selected. The implementation of supported activities is ongoing.