The Manufacturing and Technology Association has been established to strengthen the status and boost the growth of the Croatian manufacturing industry, its founders announced on Wednesday, state agency Hina reported, carrying a press release.

The founders are: Agrolaguna, Graficar Ludbreg, Hrvatska industrija secera (Croatian Sugar Industry), Include, Jamnica plus, Kandit, Koncar Elektroindustrija, Messer Croatia Plin, Pastor Grupa, PIK Vrbovec plus, PIP, Saponia, TBG Beton, Tehnomont and Zvijezda plus. These companies together generate 6.5 billion kuna (€867m) in revenues and employ over 5,500 people.

The association said that the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted the importance of the manufacturing industry for stability and growth in difficult and unpredictable crises.

The main challenges facing the manufacturers are energy prices, the labor market, the potential of EU funding and the improvement of the legal, administrative, investment and business frameworks, the founders said.

Dajana Mrcela, chair of the management board of Saponia, the Osijek-based manufacturer of detergents, was appointed the association’s president.

Hina did not add any context on how is this association different from all the existing business groups already operating in Croatia.