Flamma Systems from Niš winning the Swedish market

Using the latest technologies, the Niš-based enterprise Flamma Systems produces biomass products that are used to heat greenhouses for growing vegetables. As an export-oriented enterprise, they applied for the EU PRO programme public call providing the European Union grants for micro and small enterprises. The approved funds were used for the purchase of automated welding and cutting equipment that enables them to improve production and increase productivity.

As a brigadier in the Serbian Army, Predrag Petrović wanted to get involved in entrepreneurship and make a turn in his career, which led to the business path he is on today. "I first started with a car dealership and selling cars. But, I could not make a living and every day brought uncertainty. Then one year I went with my wife to a friend in Sweden who is engaged in growing vegetables. There I got acquainted with the technology that would change my life later ", Predrag starts his story. " Sweden is a huge market and as a country they are devoted to the environment. This is where the idea was born to start the production of biomass boilers, which are otherwise used to reduce pollution and save energy, making  it both energy efficient and environmentally friendly. “

When he started the business, production of one biomass boiler took six to nine months, and now the production process has been completed in four months. Predrag lacked the equipment for improving the production process. The donations of the European Union helped him achieve this goal. "With the funds obtained through the EU PRO programme, we bought a robot and a plasma for cutting sheet metal. The robot is used for welding, since the boilers are cylindrical in shape and in that one part the robot welds itself. On the other hand, plasma for sheet metal cutting is very useful. It is much bigger than the one we had, and with its help we can cut larger areas, drill holes in the boiler and or make door openings ", explains Predrag.

Predrag proudly says that his enterprise produces a heating system that can heat, according to him, even half of the city. "In the beginning, we worked in a hall of 500 m2, and now we have two halls of about 1,000 m2. We made the first plant for our friend from Sweden. It was developed here in Niš and installed in Sweden, and that was our beginning. Then new clients appeared, and the first recommendations arrived. People learned about the quality of our work for which we became well-known", Predrag underlines. For now, one part of the hall serves as a boiler room, and the other part is a biomass warehouse. Predrag has a plan to build more halls so that he can produce more boiler rooms at the same time. "My idea is to have a hall covering five to ten thousand square meters  as in that way we could produce up to four plants at the same time."

Predrag is a big fan of sports and likes to say that he is a sports parachutist. And as I knew that Albatross Club from Niš needed help, I decided to buy one van for the club members because we were driving up the hills in cars. Now we all go by the van to a certain peak from where we descend, all filled with laughter and joy. I also wanted to help the primary school in the village of Popovac where we made a new fence for the sports field so that the balls could not go out on the road and other yards. It was really great pleasure to help the school ", Predrag ends his story.

The European Union, in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration, supported over 200 micro and small enterprises and entrepreneurs with more than 4.3 million Euros through the EU PRO programme. The funds were used to purchase new equipment which helped enterprises improve production and competitiveness and create new jobs.

The activities of EU PRO, a Programme contributing to the more balanced socio-economic development of Serbia, are supported by the European Union with over 25 million Euros. The Programme aims to contribute to increasing the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises, improving the business environment and strengthening social cohesion in 99 local self-government units, in two regions: the Region of Šumadija and Western Serbia and the Region of Southern and Eastern Serbia. The activities in the field are implemented by UNOPS.