Derventa is the leader in economic development and attracting foreign investments in the Republic of Srpska. There are 33 foreign companies operating in the city on the Ukrina and 901 business entities employing around 7,000 workers.

One of today’s leading companies in this area – Sanino – started operating back in 1990. Today, this company’s 830 workers produce 1,700,000 pairs of footwear uppers in a year, including 15 percent of the final product. Everything they produce is exported, mostly to the German market.

Amika company, one of Derventa’s largest exporters. They have been in business for two decades, and everything they produce is exported to the global and European markets. Work is organized in three shifts, and 45,000 pairs of shoes are produced daily. Last year, Amika placed eight million pairs of shoes on the market, of a total value of about 32 million marks. Throughout the years of work, they have received significant support from both local and republic government.

Fructa Trade company best proves that a business dream can come true in Srpska and Derventa. From one retail store with two employees, 29 years later, the company employs 2,000 workers, and in addition to sales, they also have their own production of food products. – We produce over 500 products, classified into five brands within our production. We place them on BiH market, export to Serbian and Austrian markets – said Snježana Ćerić, head of the Marketing Service of Fructa Trade company.

In 1997, Slobodan Golub decided to open a craft workshop in his native Kalenderovci. From a small workshop with two employees, the company METALAC MBM grew into a large exporter. Today, the situation is much better, they have 35 products in their range, they have expanded production and storage capacities, and improved significantly the production process by purchasing modern equipment.

– Sometimes it was easy, sometimes it was difficult. The situation in Derventa was much better than in some other regions in BiH. We are not saying that we have help, but there has been no blockade. You can plan something in Derventa, that is important to me, if you invest so much money, training workers, you need security and I have the feeling that I have that, and I am making further plans, not only now I am planning further – said Thomas Drittenpreis, director of TEHPRO CNC company.

Source: RTRS

Photo: City of Derventa