Belgrade / Novi Pazar / Vranje, August 17: South Serbian shoe manufacturers Minex and Mladenovic met with ASSTEX representatives last week to learn how to create an industry cluster. As the country’s first textile cluster, ASSTEX has revitalized Sandzak’s famed textile and apparel industry. Through branding of Serbian-designed apparel, ASSTEX has led market expansion domestically and internationally.
The cluster approach has also expedited the introduction of quality standards, acquisition of modern equipment and adherence to environment protection standards. With its recent $240,000 grant from the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) to open a showroom and distribution center in Moscow, ASSTEX proved that cluster-based associations can negotiate on behalf of all their members to benefit individual companies.
South Serbian shoe manufacturers hope to initiate their cluster in the near future; PPES plans to support this effort.