Hanoi, 1 February 2008
The EU Asia Invest “Cleaner Production for Better Products” (CP4BP) project aims at increasing the capacity of selected industries in Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR to develop environmentally sound and socially responsible products that are better adapted to the requirements of the European market (Cleaner and Better Products). It is led by the Vietnam Cleaner Production Centre and the Asian Institute of Technology Center in Vietnam and by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Phnom Penh Small and Medium Industry Association in Lao PDR and Cambodia, and supported by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Delft University of Technology, both spearheading organizations in the field of sustainable product development.
Among other activities, the project will provide selected local companies with training and state-of-the-art information on sustainable product design, as well as support from international and national experts for the (re-)design of one of their products during 9-month demonstration projects in selected sectors. By providing a systematic and practical approach, sustainable product design significantly increases the chances of success of re-designed or newly designed products, especially on foreign markets. We are now looking for motivated and innovative companies who would like to join our demonstration projects.
The demonstration projects:
· Objective: Demonstrate the relevance of Sustainable product design techniques by applying them to the (re-)design of at least one new or existing product to be included in the company’s portfolio
· Duration: 9 to 12 months
· Project support: International experts (experts on sustainable product design and sector specific experts) will provide punctual support as needed. National experts and project team will provide continued follow-up support throughout project implementation.
· Main activities:
o Kick-off (On site, 1 ½ day): Establishment of a Company Project Team (CPT), factory visit, group work and practical training with European experts and CPT. Output: Detailed, step-by-step action plan for product (re-)design
o Consultation of local stakeholders: Workshops organized by CPT leader with support of project coordinator and experts
o Project follow-up: Implementation of the action plan by the CPT, regular monitoring and support by project staff and experts
Target sectors:
At least one company will be selected in each sector. Projects in other sectors may also be selected if they are particularly innovative and/or present a particularly high potential for replication.
The following target sectors will be given priority:
· Furniture (With particular focus on furniture made from Non-wood timber product and on furniture combining different materials)
· Seafood, aquaculture, and more generally, food processing. Companies catering for the packaging and logistics needs of the agro-processing sector are also encouraged to apply.
· Handicraft (Initial focus on Non-wood timber products, textiles. Other sectors may apply)
Eligible companies (selection criteria):
To be eligible, candidate companies will have to fulfill the following criteria:
· Degree of national ownership: Min. 75% of capital
· Minimum/Maximum size: Min. 10 – Max. 500 employees
· Capacity to integrate product innovation
· Export potential (existing and prospective)
· Replication potential of the project in other companies of the sector
· Concrete involvement of European partners (Technology providers and/or potential buyers)
· Geographical distribution of selected companies: selected companies should come from both North (Hanoi and surrounding provinces) and South (HCMC and surrounding provinces) regions of Vietnam
Interested?
Please fill in the attached application form and send it back to us by 29 February 2008.
For more information, contact:
Cleaner Production for Better Products
Mr. Nguyen Hong Long, Project Manager
Tel: +84 4 868 48 49 / Fax: +84 4 868 16 18
Email: cp4bp@vncpc.org / Web: www.cp4bp.org
Attached: - Application form
