Productive Arrangements to receive US$ 2.3 million in investments
DCI
The Secretary of Development of the State, Geraldo Alckmin, took part, on Friday, in the creation of the Center of Development and Applied Innovation in Medical, Hospital and Dental Equipment (Cedina) at the City Hall of Ribeirão Preto. The ceremony marked the beginning of the activities of the State Program of Stimulation to the Local Productive Arrangements (APLs) of the State established by Decree number 54654, of August 7, 2009.
In order to coordinate the program, the São Paulo Network of Local Productive Arrangements was also created. The APLs geographically concentrate micro-, small- and medium-sized companies of a same sector or productive chain that, under a common governance structure, cooperate with each other and with public and private entities. All over the State, there are 24 APLs, which cover 14,500 companies and 350 thousand work positions. The program foresees the application of R$ 4.4 million (US$ 2.3 million) from the Secretariat of Development and another R$ 6 million (US$ 3.2 million) in their own localities.
In Ribeirão Preto, the APL of medical, hospital and dental equipment is made up of 70 companies, 80% of which are micro-enterprises, that, together, employ 1,750 workers. The Cedina will be managed in partnership with the Fundação Instituto Polo Avançado de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto (Fipase), with the purpose of providing support and promoting technological innovation to the local companies. The center will offer essays, product evaluation, quality tests and development projects. The total amount of resources which will be released to Cedina is R$ 628 thousand (US$ 330.5 thousand). The State will be responsible for the investment of R$ 304,733 (US$ 160,385.8) and the rest will be under the responsibility of the Fipase.
The government foresees that the establishment of common strategies, joint investments, the sharing of infrastructures, manpower qualification and other measures that increase the quality of the products and the productive processes will allow the reduction of costs, the generation of economy of scale and better competitiveness conditions to the APLs.