Chapter 5: Slovakia

(continued)

5.7 Major Foreign Suppliers in the Environmental Technology Market

Perceptions of Environmental Technologies from Selected Countries

The following scale was used in rating: 5 - excellent reputation, 4 - good reputation, 3 - average reputation, 2 - poor reputation, 1 - very poor reputation, blank - no opinion.

Figures in cells show the average score, while those in brackets represent the number of responses.

In the air sector, American, German, Austrian and Scandinavian technologies were ranked particularly high. German, American, French, Dutch and Scandinavian products were best perceived in the water and wastewater sector. German, American, French and Scandinavian technologies were ranked high in the waste management sector, while the energy sector seemed to be dominated by Scandinavian, German, American and Dutch products. Scandinavian and German products rated high in the noise and vibration sector.

The number of respondents expressing an opinion about foreign environmental technologies was related to their availability on the market. When the distribution of responses is considered, foreign activity was highest in the water and wastewater sector, followed by energy, air and waste management. While no single country had a clear lead over competitors, suppliers from Germany, Austria, and France were considered to be most active in the environmental technology market in Slovakia, followed by American, Dutch and Scandinavian companies.

It is important to note that the above question focused on perceptions of foreign environmental technologies depending on the country of origin, rather than on respondents' actual familiarity and/or experience with specific foreign companies or products. Therefore, while the conclusions from Table 5.22 give a good indication of commonly held opinions about technologies and the perceived level of foreign activity, they do not necessarily depict the actual knowledge among Slovak experts of foreign suppliers. The following section presents the answers to a more specific question about foreign companies active in Slovakia, and the strengths and weaknesses of their products.

Major Foreign Suppliers in the Market

German companies are most active in the water and wastewater sector, followed by Czech, American, and French suppliers. Danish, Austrian, and French firms seem to dominate among foreign companies in the waste sector, while in the energy sector, German and American presence is notable. In the remaining two categories, only a few foreign companies were identified. The majority of foreign companies are located in Bratislava, the national capital.

Most of the comments on competitive strengths and weaknesses of suppliers focused on good product quality and reliability and high prices respectively. Interestingly, in only one case (Hewlett Packard) was good service listed as a strength, which confirms that more emphasis should be placed on this area.

Generally, respondents noted that they were familiar mainly with large and well-known companies (especially in the energy and waste management sectors), or with their own suppliers or business partners. It was observed that, in the energy sector, several suppliers acting under their own name supply brand-name foreign technologies from several foreign manufacturers.

Several interviewees mentioned the lack of information about foreign products as a problem, which is confirmed by the fact that most experts were able to identify only a few specific companies active in Slovakia. Also, respondents were often uncertain of the country of origin of a foreign supplier (e.g. Austrian and German companies were often confused).