Education Minister, Radovan Fuchs, accompanied by local government officials, visited a factory in northern Croatia on Monday to discuss the possibility of setting up prefabricated school buildings.

Education Minister Radovan Fuchs on Monday visited the Tehnix company in the northern town of Donji Kraljevec, which constructs modular housing containers, and said he was impressed with the standard and long-term guarantees for the modules that can house schools, kindergartens and halls.

After touring the factory, specialized in producing waste management equipment and modular architecture,  Fuchs said that he was impressed with the modules produced there underscoring that this is “best example of how to achieve a lot with Croatian know-how and people.”

“Our visit here was primarily related to the need for relatively quick construction of schools in earthquake-struck areas,” Minister Fuchs said.

He added that he had responded to an invitation from the company to see what it could offer for that purpose.

The minister announced consultations with local authorities and other institutions on possible engagement of this and other companies on the market.

He underscored that he was pleasantly surprised with the standard and the duration of these structures for schools, kindergartens and sports halls and which, he added, are much cheaper than traditional, bricks-and-mortar constructions.

“This type of structure (modular buildings) could also be considered for education institutions in other areas of Croatia where they are needed,” said Fuchs.

Tehnix founder Djuro Horvat said today that his company was hired across Europe to construct fire-proof and earthquake resistant long-lasting structures.

Early January, the Caritas Croatia charity organisation and Tehnix concluded an agreement on constructing 100 modular housing containers in the quake-affected Sisak county.