Swedish Mining Innovation’s SME network has now been launched. The purpose of the network is to create an innovation arena that leads to meetings between the major mining companies and SMEs throughout the country.
Kaunis Iron, Copperstone, Zinkgruvan Mining, Epiroc, Boliden and LKAB are part of the network, four of the companies have current challenges that they want help to solve.
-The feedback we have received is that SMEs lack collaborations and business opportunities from the major players in the mining and metal industry. An important part that has been identified is the lack of infrastructure and forums for SMEs and other actors to interact, which also slows down innovation in the industry, says Erik Hagenrud, network coordinator.
The network’s mission is therefore to create this innovation arena for the mining industry to enable the meeting and to be the link between the companies’ challenges and the SMEs’ sustainable and innovative solutions. By helping the companies to formulate their challenges and create clear packages, and then present these to the network, not only will the companies find new, innovative solutions. At the same time, SMEs get a unique chance to get in touch with, and create business opportunities with, large mining-related companies. These two perspectives form the basis for generating interest and a willingness to participate from both SMEs and the major players.
-If there is a functioning meeting arena, there is also the potential to build up an SME network over time. A win-win solution, quite simply, says Erik Hagenrud.
What kind of companies can join the SME network?
-The SME network is aimed at all potential suppliers of solutions and innovations that can solve the challenges of the mining industry. A supplier can be a company that has already delivered to mining customers, but it can also be a solution provider that is not in the traditional mining industry and may never have seen a company in the mining industry as a potential customer. The challenges can be in what we traditionally see as part of the Swedish mining industry, but can just as easily be in areas such as AI, e-mobility or, of course, sustainability.
What does it mean to join the network?
-The purpose of the network is to create the meeting arena between SME companies and the major players in the Swedish mining industry that we lack today. We will publish cases or challenges that come from the major players in the mining industry and by signing up for the network, you get access to all challenges and info about these, so that nothing risks being lost. The SME company also gets access to other business useful information through newsletters and via social media from Swedish Mining Innovation, concludes Erik Hagenrud.
Link to the SME network’s page, where you can read more about the four current cases: SME network
