Foundry production in Croatia 2021
January 6 2023Assessment of difficulties and/or advantages in the business of Croatian foundries:
In 2021, unlike 2020, it was easier to organize the production and procurement of raw materials because the measures regarding Covid 19 in the Republic of Croatia were not as strict as the year before, i.e. there were no restrictions on movement within the country and at border crossings. Nevertheless, the disruption related to various raw materials, primarily metal, was extremely unpredictable and noticeable throughout the year, which significantly complicated the situation for planning, production and supply to the customers themselves, who had to transfer the burden of increased costs, including the increase in energy costs.
Available workforce (number and qualifications):
As for the workforce in the Republic of Croatia, the first problems with the lack and/or difficulty in finding qualified workers appeared in 2016. From then on, the situation continued to worsen every year and the number of employment agencies, i.e. employment mediation, grew. Last year, it was noticed that the area of neighboring countries (regularly used in the past years, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia) as a base for employing workers in the Republic of Croatia is practically exhausted, and workers from Macedonia, Albania, and distant countries such as India, Nepal, the Philippines…are now regularly present. This automatically means major adjustments in foundries due to the language barrier, but also cultural differences and getting used to each other in an unfamiliar working environment. Namely, the vast majority of foreign workers do not have the necessary qualifications for a series of jobs that are necessary in foundries, which also represents a big challenge. There is also lack of magister engineer of metallurgy due to low interest of young people despite scholarships and other advantages during studies, as well as the poor demographic situation in the Republic of Croatia. Faculty of Metallurgy University of Zagreb, located in Sisak, is the only high education institution which provides education in the field of metallurgy and founding. Unfortunately, the founder (Republic of Croatia) did not provide social standards (student dormitory and restaurant), which represents a significant advantage for young people (students) when choosing a study. Also, the mentioned area was affected by a devastating earthquake 6,4 according to Richter scale in December 2020 and the Faculty suffered significant damage. Additionally, private accommodation facilities near the Faculty are limited and difficult to access due to damage caused by the earthquake. In general, reconstruction after the earthquake has not even started. Regardless, the Faculty provides a complete contact education service for small number of interested students in a limited space.
Trends in industrial production in 2021 and comparison with the previous year
Comparison of the industrial production in 2021 with the pandemic 2020 year indicates a significant recovery of the economy compared to the pandemic year 2020. The decline in global demand recorded in 2020 affected the reduction of industrial production in most countries. At the EU level, according to calendar-adjusted indices, industrial production was 8.1 percent lower than in the previous year, with the largest decline recorded in Italy, France, Luxembourg and Germany (all around 11 percent). In accordance with the above, Croatia did relatively well in 2020. Industrial production decreased by 2.8 percent according to the original indices, and by 3.4 percent according to calendar adjustments. At the same time, the highest original rates of decline were recorded in the production of clothing (-22.9 percent) and the production of motor vehicles and parts (-20.5 percent), but due to their share in the structure of production, the largest negative impact on its movement was the reduced production of beverages, and then clothing, rubber and plastic products and the extraction of crude oil and natural gas. In Croatia, a decline was also recorded in most activities, but growth was still recorded in a larger number than at the level of the entire EU. The growth in the production of chemicals and chemical products stood out the most (11.3 percent) and in the production of finished metal products (10.0 percent). The pharmaceutical industry did not significantly adapt to the needs of the new situation, and at the same time only a slight growth of 0.4 percent was achieved. The year 2021, however, brought encouraging data. Thus, industrial production is in the recovery phase and in the first eight months of 2021 it increased by 7.6 percent compared to the same time last year. At the same time, merchandise exports grew by 25.5 percent, which is the third fastest growth among the members of the European Union. In the first 11 months of 2021, positive trends continued and industrial production increased by 6.7% compared to the same time in 2020. Within the processing industry, in the observed period, the increase in metal production by over 20% is noteworthy.
Foundry production in Republic of Croatia in 2021
Table 1. Total foundry production in 2021 (t)
| Gray Iron | Ductile Iron | Malleable Iron | Steel | Other Ferrous | Copper Base | Aluminum | Magnesium | Zinc | Other nonferrous | Total |
| 23.812 | 11.025 | / | 59 | 20 | 61 | 60.715 | / | / | 60 | 95.752 |
Table 2. Comparison of foundry production in Republic of Croatia, 2019-2021
|
Analysed year |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
||||||
|
Number of foundries (respond on survey) |
16 |
18 |
19 |
||||||
|
Casting alloy |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
|
Ferrous alloys |
29.001.800 |
38,74 |
2. |
25.624.667 |
27,95 |
2. |
34.856.900 |
36,40 |
2 |
|
Steel |
77.000 |
0,10 |
3. |
119.167 |
0,13 |
3. |
59.100 |
0,06 |
3 |
|
Nonferrous alloys |
45.783.806 |
61,16 |
1. |
65.938.420 |
71,92 |
1. |
60.836.159 |
63,54 |
1 |
|
TOTAL |
74.862.606 |
100,00 |
91.682.253 |
100,00 |
95.752.159 |
100,00 |
|
||
|
Ferrous alloys |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
|
Grey iron |
22.037.750 |
75,99 |
1. |
19.464.667 |
75,96 |
1. |
23.812.400 |
68,31 |
1 |
|
Ductile iron |
6.944.550 |
23,95 |
2. |
6.118.667 |
23,88 |
2. |
11.024.500 |
31,63 |
2 |
|
Malleable iron |
9.750 |
0,03 |
3. |
20.667 |
0,08 |
3. |
0 |
0,00 |
|
|
Other |
9.750 |
0,03 |
3. |
20.667 |
0,08 |
3. |
20.000 |
0,06 |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
29.001.800 |
100,00 |
25.624.668 |
100,00 |
34.856.900 |
100,00 |
|
||
|
Steel |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
|
Unalloyed |
9.750 |
12,66 |
2. |
24.667 |
20,70 |
3. |
3.100 |
5,25 |
3 |
|
Low alloyed |
28.750 |
37,34 |
1. |
41.667 |
34,96 |
1. |
29.000 |
49,07 |
1 |
|
Manganese |
9.750 |
12,66 |
2. |
20.667 |
17,34 |
4. |
0 |
0,00 |
|
|
Stainless |
28.750 |
37,34 |
1. |
32.167 |
26,99 |
2. |
27.000 |
45,69 |
2 |
|
TOTAL |
77.000 |
100,00 |
119.168 |
100,00 |
59.100 |
100,00 |
|
||
|
Nonferrous |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
kg |
% |
Rank in total production |
|
Brass |
44.750 |
0,10 |
3. |
50.325 |
0,08 |
4. |
25.716 |
0,04 |
3 |
|
Bronze |
43.250 |
0,09 |
4. |
151.728 |
0,23 |
2. |
35.300 |
0,06 |
|
|
Aluminium |
45.485.956 |
99,35 |
1. |
65.605.701 |
99,50 |
1. |
60.715.143 |
99,80 |
1 |
|
Other |
209.850 |
0,46 |
2. |
130.667 |
0,20 |
3. |
60.000 |
0,10 |
2 |
|
TOTAL |
45.783.806 |
100,00 |
65.938.421 |
100,00 |
60.836.159 |
100,00 |
|
||
Lifelong education and exchange of knowledge, skills, experience and good practice:
The 19th International Foundry Conference entitled Humans – Valuable Resource for Foundry Industry Development was held in Split, Croatia from June 16 to 18, 2021. The organizer of the Consultation was the organizing committee of the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Metallurgy. The co-organizers of this international meeting were institutions from four countries: Croatia (University of North Koprivnica; University of Split, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology), Slovenia (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering), Slovakia (Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling) and ELKEM ASA (Oslo) from Norway, Representative Office in Sisak. This year’s 19th International Foundry Conference was held with a letter of support from the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, and under the auspices of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Croatian Foundry Association and Slovenian Foundry Association, Student Center in Sisak, the Student Union of the University of Zagreb, the City of Split and the City of Sisak. The topic of the Consultation is designed as a presentation of “state-of-the-art” scientific research and highlighting innovations with the aim of improving the competitiveness of the economy and encouraging energetically and economically efficient production, where human resources and capital are one of the challenges.
The Republic of Croatia is faced with challenges such as depopulation, global changes in the economy, orientation towards the rapid acquisition of applicable knowledge, skills and competences required by the labor market, the economy and society. In the context of human resources that represent total knowledge, skills, abilities, creative possibilities, motivation and loyalty, it is necessary to develop human potential through the transfer of knowledge and technology within the framework of lifelong education, which is carried out by the International Conference of Left-Handers. The priorities of the Consultation were to increase the competitiveness of foundries through the rationalization and optimization of the production of castings based on innovations with an emphasis on the synergy of the development of modern materials and the optimization of technologies, as a prerequisite for the economic growth of the company. In addition to the mentioned topics, this form of lifelong education of employees in every production process becomes imperative to ensure the competitiveness of every company. Given that in 2020, due to epidemiological measures due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, the consultation was postponed to 2021, participants had the option of participating online in real time or via pre-prepared videos. Due to the aforementioned circumstances, a slightly smaller number of participants than expected attended the consultation: 115 participants from 14 countries (Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, India, Kosovo, Poland, Romania, Spain, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, United States of America) represented by 47 companies/institutions.
At the 19th International Foundrymen Conference 49 papers were presented (24 oral and 25 in the poster section), which were published in the Proceedings of the International Conference of Casters on USB, with a note that the papers passed international review. With renowned experts and scientists, such as:
• Prof. Dr.Sc. Doru Michael Stefanescu, The Ohio State University Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio, USA
• Prof. Dr.Sc. Iulian Riposan, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
invited lecturers and lecturers from a narrow field of expertise, young experts, doctoral students and assistants also presented their works. Lectures and subsequent discussions were held in English.
More info about the event: https://ifc.simet.hr/
Cooperation between high education institution (HEI) and foundries (business stakeholders):
Despite the ongoing problems, the importance of foundry as a “driver” production branch of industrial production is still cherished, but also the necessity of raising knowledge, skills and competences through regular and lifelong forms of teaching. The infrastructural project of the Faculty of Metallurgy University of Zagreb: Center for Founding – SIMET (KK.01.1.1.02.0020) European Union from the European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020 within the call “Investing in organizational reform and infrastructure in the sector of research, development and innovation” (https://castingpoint.simet.hr/en/). Project, as a casting point, represents a significant potential for cooperation and collaboration between high educational institutions (HEIs’) and foundries (and other business stakeholders). Equipping the Faculty with state-of-the-art equipment will open up the potential for more intense and tighter cooperation, which will be based precisely on the development of materials and technologies according to the principle “from idea to the final product”.
Higher education in the field of founding and metallurgy:
The Faculty of Metallurgy, as a part of the University of Zagreb, is the only higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia, which operates in the field of technical sciences, the field of metallurgy. It develops its field of activity through teaching, scientific and professional activity. The teaching activity is realized through the education of highly competent experts at the level of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate doctoral studies in metallurgy. Scientific activity is carried out within the framework of scientific projects that raise the general level of fundamental, applied and developmental knowledge in the Faculty’s field of activity. Professional activity enables quick and efficient application of the latest scientific knowledge in the economy and other areas of general and public interest. The faculty achieves cooperation at the international level, advancing its mission through knowledge transfer and mobility of employees and students. At the same time, it works to raise general social awareness about the place and role of one’s profession, that is, about current problems and achievements in the field of one’s own scientific, teaching and professional activities that have wider social implications.
The Faculty of Metallurgy will be more recognizable as a place of constant advancement and improvement of studies and the acquisition of knowledge and competences in the field of metallurgy, metal materials and environmental protection. The institution will continue to encourage innovation, uniqueness and excellence of each individual according to global standards of evaluation, and operates in an environment in accordance with all positive regulations, the needs of the local and wider community. The teaching process will be based on the best world experiences of the connection of learning, research and economy. Accordingly, the Faculty of Metallurgy will continuously renovate and innovate existing study programs for high-quality and effective education at all levels of university study, with the introduction of a specialist professional part-time study in the field of metallurgy (foundry). Graduated students of the Faculty will be in demand as widely educated experts competent to effectively solve problems in their field of work. The faculty will continue the institutional concern for the development of scientific research and professional work on domestic and international projects for the development of innovative and improvement of existing technological processes, products and materials. The faculty will be publicly recognized as a responsible institution that contributes to society by raising the level of education, the expertise of engineers within the technical field, the development of economic branches related to metallurgy, materials and environmental protection, and work in accordance with the academic ethical standards of the world’s most successful faculties.
Metallurgy is an engineering profession which belongs to the field of technical sciences and includes the extraction of metals from ores, their formation using different processes of casting and deforming, and methods of environment protection in the process of the production and recycling of materials/raw materials with the aim of reuse. The Faculty of Metallurgy has been operating for more than 55 years as the only scientific and teaching institution in the Republic of Croatia which offers undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate, and vocational level higher education in the area of metallurgy and industrial ecology, while by organising conferences, seminars, workshops, panel discussions and lectures it systematically implements life-long education and further training.
The Faculty of Metallurgy has accreditation to conduct the undergraduate and graduate university study programs in Metallurgy; Occupational Safety, Health and Work Environment and the undergraduate university vocational part-time program in Founding (https://www.simet.unizg.hr/hr/studiji), as well as the university postgraduate program in Metallurgy and the postgraduate doctoral program in Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Aeronautical Engineering, and Metallurgical Engineering. The general goals of all study programs have been harmonized with the mission and the strategic goals of the higher education institution in the Development Strategy of the Faculty of Metallurgy for the Period of 2021–2026.
Today’s metalworking industry in the Republic of Croatia is characterized by the production being scattered and the lack of a clear development strategy. Today’s companies were mostly created during the restructuring process of large industrial companies from which the vast number of expert staff and knowledge in the metal processing industry came. The largest metal processing companies sell their products on foreign markets and are mostly owned by foreign corporations. Also, legislation is based on eco-friendly production which sets fresh challenges before the industry and calls for constant training and the adjustment of production to changing conditions and an upgrade in quality. The European market also calls for the observance of ecological and corporate norms.
Knowledge is becoming an increasingly important resource for economic development. The Republic of Croatia is facing the challenges of the world economy, with the aim to meet certain requirements in shaping the education system. Ensuring the quality assurance of the education system is just one of the requirements set up as a continuous mission of University of Zagreb Faculty of Metallurgy and other co-organizers from the high-education. As the level of education of the population affects the progress of the economy, it is extremely important for the Republic of Croatia to increase the ratio of highly educated persons. In recent years, the ratio of the highly educated population of the Republic of Croatia has been growing, but in comparison with Europe, Croatia is still lagging behind. In order to increase the share of highly educated persons, it is necessary to invest in the quality of education, both in higher education and in secondary and primary education. This would increase awareness of the importance of education, which would ultimately result in an increase in the ratio of highly educated and competent professionals. Coexistence of material science and sustainable technology in economic growth represent a knowledge transfer between small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs´), industry and higher education institutions. Higher education at the Faculty of Metallurgy (HEI), conceived through the program and the learning outcomes, is based, inter alia, on promoting students’ scientific and research work on applied topics, enabling ambitious and creative young people to become independent problem solvers, developing and supporting their curiosity, analytics and communication: Graduates like the labor market needs!
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