InvestSlovenia

SAVINJSKA REGION

Facts and figures:

Source: SORS, 2008

1. Location and transport

The Savinjska Region named after the Savinja River stretches along the valley that lies to the east of central Slovenia and borders on Austria to the north and Croatia to the east. Transport infrastructure is well-developed, the regional capital Celje is connected with Maribor and Ljubljana both by railway and almost uninterrupted by the motorway.

2. Population

The region has a total population of 257,000.

Education structure of population aged 15 - 64 in the Savinjska Region

Source: Statistical Yearbook, 2007

3. Towns

The regional centre is Celje (48,000) with two institutions of higher education: a polytechnics for mechanical engineering and civil engineering, and a business-commercial college where more than 1,000 students study every year.

Other principal towns include: Velenje (34,000) with its college for electrotechnics, informatics, miners and geotechnologe, Žalec (20,900), Šentjur pri Celju (18,500), Slovenske Konjice (13,900) and Laško (13,900).

4. Economy

The region has a long tradition of industry, a high concentration of businesses and is very export oriented. 75% of workforce has found a job in the industry. In terms of revenue and headcount, manufacturing activities prevail. The backbone of the regional economy is formed by a number of large companies that provide around 36% of all employment in the region, creating 40% of added value.

The most significant sector of industry in the Savinjska Region is the production of machines and appliances – Gorenje, one of Slovenia’s largest companies, operates in the region employing one fifth of its workforce and creating one quarter of its revenue. Other industrial sectors include:

wood-processing

energy

textile & apparel

metal processing

ore extraction

chemicals

food

coal-mining (to be closed down)

At present, the textile industry and civil engineering are struggling, and the unemployment rate is high. To make some industrial branches more successful, restructuring is urgently needed. A number of foreign investors found in this region their right mix of qualities.

The region also features TECOS – the Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre.

The Savinjska Region boasts a centuries-long tradition as a health spa thanks to its thermal springs.

5. Companies

The most important companies operating in the region include:
Gorenje, Cinkarna Celje (chemicals), Kovinotehna Celje (metal-processing), Steklarna Rogaška (glass production), Unior Zreče (tool-making), Pivovarna Laško (brewery), Engrotuš, Juteks, Etol, Aero, Alpos, Mlekarna Celje, Banka Celje, Comet, Inexa, Radeče papir, Kovintrade, BSH Hisni aparati, Era, Veplas, Vegrad, Elkroj, Elektronika, Esotech, Glin K&M

Contact:

Regional Development Agency Celje
Cesta v Trnovlje 7, SI-3000 Celje
tel: +386 (0)3 42 80 730,
fax: +386 (0)3 42 80 742,
e-mail:

Celje Industrial Zone