How EFSI benefits SMEs in Europe - Slovenski Podjetniški Sklad case study: Fortis Maribor (Slovenia), cutting-edge metal processing

The company Fortis Maribor was founded in 2011 and their main activity is the mechanical processing of metals, the production of metal structures and other engineering activities, including technical advice.

Fortis Maribor relies heavily on the expertise of its workforce in order to spur on the company’s development. At the same time, however, they depend on the efficiency, speed and accuracy of their equipment, hardware as much as software. The addition of a new laser-cutter, for example, has been a key recent development allowing thin-plate cutting.

In their latest efforts to upgrade their machinery, Fortis Maribor secured a loan guaranteed by Slovenski Podjetniški Sklad (Slovene Enterprise Fund – SEF) and backed by EIF and the Investment Plan for Europe. The Investment Plan for Europe is the EU initiative aiming at generating new investments by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe.

As Andreja Ahman Wargazon, the company’s General Manager explains, “In case we wouldn’t get the SEF’s guarantee, such a large investment couldn’t be undertaken now. The investment would have been pushed back a year and then we would have tried to obtain a classic loan. With the help of the SEF’s guarantee, we were able to proceed with the investment and four additional employees were hired.”

The loan allowed Fortis Maribor to purchase new technological equipment (computer-numeric-control (CNC) drilling/milling centre and overhead crane) and finance working capital, with which the company will start to produce advanced metal products. In 2017, the company plans to increase the number of employees by hiring in particular more engineers/developers and production workers for the machines.

Company: Fortis Maribor (Slovenia)

Type of business: Manufacturing; Metal processing

EIF financing: COSME LGF, EFSI

Financial intermediary: Slovenski Podjetniški Sklad (SEF)

For further information about EIF intermediaries in Slovenia, please refer to: http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/sl