Electrical & Electronics
Research laboratory of electronics
Testimonials
»It’s worth stressing among other strong points that Slovenia boasts a good education system and professional training schemes. Many years of working with Slovene people have confirmed my first impression that the local people are well-trained on the one hand, and flexible and open-minded on the other.«
Mr. Kurt Reinwald, Director
BSH Hišni aparati
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte
»Tradition, experience and knowledge, combined with that little extra, that each individual is giving in creating new products and offering the best service, are making us a competent partner to our global customers. It is nothing but profitable investment.«
Troels H. Petersen, President
Danfoss District Heating Controls
Danfoss
»Encouraged by a decade of ongoing business relations with a Slovenian company, VOGT Electronic AG decided to invest in Slovenia in 1997. Confidence in Slovenia as suitable investment location was based on its qualified personnel, management flexibility and a drive to enter new markets.«
Janez Ločniškar, Director
Vogt Electronic Slovenija (now Sumida Slovenija)
Vogtronics GmbH
12/17/12
Key figures 2011
Number of companies: 573
Number of employees: 29,500
Revenues (in €): 4.1 billion
Exports (in €): 3 billion
Key export markets: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Russian Federation, UK
Source: AJPES, 2012
Key products:
- Electro motors and machines
- Household appliances
- Telecommunication equipment
- Electronic measuring systems
- Medical and optical equipment
- Power distribution facilities
- Electrical components
- Electronic manufacturing services (EMS)
Quality workforce
By ensuring a continuum of education and training opportunities that support a skilled workforce in the electrical and electronics sector, Slovenia's workforce combines successfully the country's long industrial tradition with ingenuity and skills to produce clever technical solutions.
Foreign investors keen to increase efficiency can tap Slovenia’s pool of highly qualified and dedicated workers and researchers always ready to help modernise production and increase productivity. In 2010, Slovenia’s expenditure for research and development was €746 mn or 2.11% of its GDP and there are government incentives for investors that set up their product development activities in technology parks and collaborate with numerous scientific institutions in Slovenia.
Estimated gross annual labour costs in electrical industry for 2012
(Total cost per employee in €)
- Source: The Association of Employers of Slovenia & JAPTI calculations, 2011
The electrical and electronics sector employs nearly 30,000 people in 570 plus companies. Some 2,500 students are enrolled in undergraduate courses for electrical and electronics engineers. The number of students in secondary schools for electrical engineering and computers is around 7,000.
Since the gross enrolment ratio in tertiary level of education is 87.6% of the Slovenian population (Human Development Report 2011, UNDP), it does not come as a surprise that some 91% of population is able to communicate in one and 71% of population is able to communicate in in two or more world languages respectively with English and German being the most widespread. Government-sponsored training and re-training programmes help upgrade job seekers’ employability by providing adult education and other in-demand skills to meet employers’ entry-level job requirements. Co-financing is available to manufacturers to provide training in skills specific to their jobs for new employees within the framework of Slovenia’s active employment policy measures.
Company | Value-added per employee (in EUR) |
|---|---|
LPKF | 95,170 |
BSH Hišni parati | 71,277 |
Elektronček | 69,062 |
Kolektor Etra | 63,062 |
Hella Saturns Slovenija | 56,823 |
Hidria AET | 44,353 |
Iskra sistemi | 42,538 |
Metrel | 42,034 |
Intra lighting | 39,346 |
ITW Metalflex | 38,595 |
Source: Bisnode, 2012
Quality link to regional markets
Foreign investors wishing to locate in Slovenia to sell their products and services both locally and across the Western Balkans will not have to waste time and money on the nuances of localisation. Local staff can give an insider's perspective of the way the businesspeople in the region think and companies make decisions based on the decades of co-shaping the geopolitical architecture of the region. Slovenia’s economic performance continues to build on the positive momentum of its leadership in business and technology best seen in robust export figures.
A strong export performance of the Slovenian electrical and electronics industry with nearly 73% of revenues earned in foreign markets dented by volatility in economic performance of its trade partners. Home-grown companies such as Gorenje, Kolektor, Iskra, Hidria and many others displayed great resilience of their brands through the crisis and the companies in foreign or mixed ownership followed suit as illustrated by value-added per employee. Gorenje Group, household appliance maker, outperformed Revoz, car assembly plant, and became the biggest Slovenian exporter in 2011.
Electrical and electronic equipment for the automotive industry, commutators for electric motors, electric motors, electronic components for household appliances, vehicle lighting, thermal management, explosion-protected electrical devices and wireless designs are among the products developed and manufactured in Slovenia.
The Slovenian electrical and electronics companies have a strong presence in Europe’s east and southeast markets thanks to substantial outward investments. In addition, there is an ever-increasing number of international companies with regional head offices in Slovenia attracted by easy access to quality staff, supplier chains, research institutes and a range of supports to foreign investors and export-oriented companies.
Productivity in industry, 2011
Related GDP (PPP) per person employed in industry (in €)
- Source: IMD - World Competitiveness Yearbook, 2012
Quality infrastructure
Slovenia has excellent physical and soft infrastructure. Its international airports, road and rail networks shorten travel distances and make Slovenia one of the most attractive investment location in the region. The Adriatic Port of Koper is the shortest maritime connection for cargo arriving through the Suez Canal from Asia to the landlocked countries of central Europe and the well-branched ICT infrastructure is a result of an early commitment to making ICT one of the national development priorities.
Foreign investors will compete in the global market more efficiently if they locate in Slovenia where the electrical and electronics industry can provide innovative solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society. Products are manufactured in conformity with the specifications and criteria to be applied consistently in the classification of materials, the manufacture of products and the provision of services leading international standards and EU directives. Operating efficiency is backed by close cooperation with the universities, research institutions, and professional associations. Slovenian suppliers are well known both on the business-to-business and on the business-to-customer markets.
Capabilities of Slovenia’s leading manufacturers to design, verify, test and produce sophisticated electrical and electronic components, sub-assemblies and equipment continue to inspire investor confidence in an environment fine-tuned to delivering products, services and information supported by innovation and research. Slovenian innovators often return with medals from international trade fairs for ideas, inventions and new products and as long as the Slovenian knowledge-based companies prosper, they will drive the country’s economy.
Hella Saturnus Slovenija and its 1,000 employees celebrated 90th anniversary of Saturnus in summer 2011 and 60 years of experience in the development and production of lighting equipment for motor vehicles. The fact that the company exports over 90% of its output and operates profitably despite a slump in the automotive industry brought it the 2010 FDI Award to foreign-owned companies in Slovenia. The Manager of the year award for 2011 went to Christof Johannes Droste, managing director of Hella Saturnus Slovenia.
- Bartec Varnost / Bartec (Explosion protected electrical devices)
- Bisol proizvodnja (Photovoltaic modules)
- BSH Hisni aparati / BSH Home appliances (Domestic appliances)
- Cablex-M (Conduits, contacts and connections for home appliances)
- Domel (Electrical motors, fume exhaust units)
- Elektroncek / Elektroncek Group (Electromechanic gaming machines)
- Elrad International / Rudolf Faudeconsulting (Electronic devices)
- Eta Cerkno / E.G.O. Elektro-Geräte (Electronic domestic appliances)
- Eurel (Integrated mechatronical solutons)
- Eti (Fuses, circuit-breakers, surge switches)
- Gorenje (Domestic appliances)
- Hella Saturnus Slovenija / Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. (Vehicle lighting electronics)
- Hidria AET (Electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles)
- Hidria Rotomatika (Electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles)
- Indramat Elektromotorji / Bosch Rexroth (Electrical motors, generators)
- Intra lighting (Architectural luminaires and lighting systems)
- Iskra (Advanced equipment for telecommunication systems, electronic and electrical components and devices)
- Iskra Avtoelektrika (Automotive electrical devices)
- Iskra Bovec (Thermosetting and thermoplastic materials)
- Iskra mehanizmi (Electric domestic appliances)
- Iskra Sistemi (Components, devices and program systems)
- Iskraemeco / El Sewedy Cables (Devices and systems for electric energy measuring, registration and billing)
- ITW Metalflex / ITW Participations & SG Invest Holding (Components for household appliances)
- Kolektor maga (Ferrite products and inductive components)
- Kolektor ETRA (Manufacture of power (generator) transformers)
- Kolektor Sikom (Commutators for electrical motors)
- LPKF / LPKF Laser & Electronics (Laser and electronics for printed circuit board technology)
- Metrel (Measuring and regulations equipment)
- Resistec UPR / M. Krah Elektrotechnische Fabrik (Electronic components)
- Ydria Motors / EBM-Papst Group (Small electrical motors and fans)