PRO-WOOD · Promoting and linking Wood Industry and Research in Romanian Regions using good practice from acknowledged wood clusters in the EU

PRO-WOOD is a project designed to support an emerging wood cluster in the County of Brasov-Covasna in Romania. The wood sector has a long tradition in business and R&D, and an economic potential that needs to be developed. A very successful tool to trigger such economic and knowledge-based environments are cluster initiatives (CIs). However CIs do not have a long tradition in Eastern European, so called transition countries. Therefore it is the challenge of PRO-WOOD to initiate a know how-transfer in order to structure the existing cluster elements. The know how-transfer will be based upon a fact finding analysis and will be harmonized with the special needs of the wood sector in Brasov-Covasna. The project resolves to achieve four objectives: (1) Establish an infrastructure for regular co-operation between the stakeholders of the wood sector in Brasov-Covasna. (2) Trigger and increase the role of R&D within the future cluster work. (3) Formulate a vision for the wood cluster, that indicates objectives and measurable results. (4) Release a web-based network platform. Beside the economic effects that an established wood cluster will have for the region Brasov-Covasna, it will support the integration of the region into the European Research Area. Eight partners from Romania, Finland, France and Germany have formed a consortium. This partnership comprises the needed stakeholders on the Romanian side and the knowledge about cluster policy tools, wood research and business on the other side.