CONSORTEX export platform model relevant for Pyhäsalmi Mining firms

The Interreg Atlantic Area CONSORTEX project’s aims and goals were of relevance at the 58^th Annual Congress of the European Regional Science Association held at University College Cork from the 28^th to the 31^st of August 2018. The focus of the congress was “Places for People: Innovative, Inclusive and Liveable Regions” which puts people back at the heart of regional and urban development to examine how spatial and regional analysis can work to improve people’s lives.

Dr John Hobbs, Cork Institute of Technology presented a research paper ‘RIS Planning for Anticipated Structural Change,’ which was developed in collaboration with colleague Dr Eoin Byrne and Panu Jalas, University of Oulu. This research aimed to provide inputs for Anticipated Structural Change planning in Pyhäjärvi, Finland due to the closure of the Pyhäsalmi Mine in 2019 which employs 4,700 staff. Data from a V-LINC analysis of 13 mining services firms from the mining cluster were interviewed to evaluate their linkages and connections with triple helix actors.
 
One of the recommendations sited in the research was an opportunity to develop export consortia through co-operation and collaboration between Pyhäsalmi Mining firms where companies could bring their product and service offerings together to compete with larger suppliers (Hoegler et al., 2015). Such an initiative could give firms the capacity they need to compete with larger contractors and win new business to grow their portfolios and size through international markets.
 
Dr Hobbs suggests “The Interreg Atlantic Area project CONSORTEX can provide guidance for the Nihak region when seeking to stimulate such co-operative export consortia. The CONSORTEX project aims to form at five or more export consortia consisting of European interregional SME’s who specialise in the manufacture of certain built-in packages for marine vessels and structures (bridge, engine room, accommodation and deck) including offshore vessels, marine power plants, cruise ships, scientific vessels and naval. Whilst the sector is different, the methodological approach developed as part of CONSORTEX is extremely applicable to the Nihak region and its development.”