Adjiedj Bakas, named trend watcher of the year last year, checked yesterday at the MustSee cinema in Breda whether the region's vision for the future aligns with the trends he predicts. 'You're overlooking a few things.'
Source: BN De Stem
Photo: Ramon Mangold/het fotoburo
West-Brabant scores increasingly well on innovation"
The efforts West-Brabant is making to become an innovative region are paying off. That was the conclusion drawn yesterday by Chris Rutten, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, when presenting the results of the Innovation Action Plan West-Brabant. Ten organizations, including educational institutions, the Chamber of Commerce and Syntens, are working together in this plan to stimulate innovative entrepreneurship in West-Brabant. This is intended to strengthen the region's competitive position. Over the past 2.5 years, this has resulted, among other things, in financial support for more than seven hundred innovative startups. Over sixteen hundred businesses received help, information or advice on innovation in one form or another. The goals set in the Action Plan for 2012 have already been achieved. In the top ten of the national SME Innovation Top 100, four entrepreneurs from West-Brabant appeared for the first time this year. West-Brabant also scores above average on patent applications, one of the benchmarks of innovation. This is particularly thanks to Sabic from Bergen op Zoom. Between 2003 and 2007, the plastics manufacturer filed more than half of the 1118 patents in the region.
Advice from Adjiedj Bakas:
The current economic situation has not yet hit bottom; that will take another twelve years or so. In the following 20-30 years, everything will go great economically and nothing can go wrong. Bakas uses the economic wave cycle, which repeats itself every 50 years. The last peak was around the year 2000, so we are still in the declining phase. As a consequence, there is still a lot of change ahead to make everything better and more efficient. Entrepreneurs need to be aware of this and give high priority to innovations, with special attention to the composition and development of their team members and staff.
Bakas speaks highly of the regional focus on "biobased economy" and the "maintenance cluster" in Woensdrecht. "Logistics" also has a golden future, partly because as web shops grow, more and more packages are being delivered.
As a critical note, Bakas advises the region to pay more attention to tourism. For example, old churches and monasteries could be converted into spaces for reflection and West-Brabant could become a pilgrimage destination, based on the idea that the need for reflection and spirituality will continue to grow. West-Brabant can benefit from its rich Catholic past. Another observation is the high level of cooperation around innovation. "Don't be too cozy! Competition keeps the adrenaline flowing!"
What role does "industrial adhesive" play in innovation?
Developments related to polymer technology, including coatings, glass&carbon fiber reinforced plastics and industrial adhesives are a foundation for many new industrial opportunities. These technologies are a prerequisite for improving and making all kinds of end products more efficient. By investing in these sectors, a new manufacturing industry can emerge in the region, with corresponding employment. It is no coincidence that polymer chemistry giant Sabic in Bergen op Zoom is most active in filing patents and thus in innovation.