The meeting consisted of two parts. The first part focused on sharing experiences in identifying new opportunities to improve business performance. Presentations were delivered by colleagues from Slovarm, BPM ENERGIE, and the Agricultural Cooperative Popudinské Močidľany.
In the second part, Assoc. Prof. Ing. Vladimír Baláž, PhD., DrSc., from the Prognostic Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava, gave a lecture entitled “At the Crossroads – The Global and Slovak Economy in Times of Uncertainty.”
Both the presentations and the lecture, followed by a discussion, provided valuable insights that attracted the interest of colleagues from various business sectors. Here is a brief summary:
Slovarm’s presentation focused on two trends in pursuing new opportunities and revenues: new products made from innovative materials, and entry into new markets. Milan Krcho, MBA, introduced innovative products made from eco-brass and stainless steel, emphasizing the focus on higher value-added products, improved ergonomics, and greater comfort in installation and use. Ing. Peter Jakovlev discussed investments, staffing, and time requirements associated with entering new markets, highlighting their entry into the Romanian market.
BPM ENERGIE and Bytový podnik Myjava were represented by Ing. Kateřina Žabková, who presented investment directions aimed at expanding services and improving heat production efficiency through cogeneration units. She introduced a project to convert a former dormitory in Myjava into rental apartments, explained the project’s timeline, and presented a visualization of the building. She also highlighted the importance of replacing traditional gas boiler plants with cogeneration units, which simultaneously produce both heat and electricity.
Agricultural Cooperative Popudinské Močidľany (PD Popudinské Močidľany) was represented by Ing. Tomáš Duffek, Chairman of the Cooperative, who delivered a presentation titled “New Crops – New Future.” He compared the yields of current crops with planned ones such as poppy seed, red clover, and hybrid ryegrass, and introduced the related investment in a drying line.
Lecture by Assoc. Prof. Ing. Vladimír Baláž, PhD., DrSc. once again provided analyses of the current state of the Slovak economy and forecasts for its development. The lecture covered:
The current state of the economy (labor market, inflation) Consolidation: was it helpful or not? Public finances (revenues and expenditures) What sustains us and how it evolves: foreign trade The impacts of the trade war Labor productivity: can we compete differently? (innovation, science, research) What happens if nothing changes and we continue along the current path?
The event concluded with a short discussion, during which colleagues raised questions about the specific impacts of the discussed risks on companies and the Slovak market.
