From Industrial Harbour to Knowledge based Business

Vordingborg has developed a strategy for transition into the knowledge-based society. A core element is modernisation of the old traditional harbour to be developed into a new part of Vordingborg where busi-nesses and residents can work and live with the sea view.

The first part of the plan has been successfully implemented as one rather big industrial estate. A former spread cheese factory has been rebuilt into a modern facility for medium and small businesses. The idea was borne when one of the largest call centres in Denmark located in Copenhagen was looking around for a location for their possible expansion. A local task force was established with participation from the Union of Commercial and Clerical Employees, Vordingborg Municipality, South Zealand Business College, Storstem Public Employment Service and Vordingborg Business Association. The objective for the task force was to develop the conditions, which the company would consider as important when deciding about the new additional location.

A number of conditions showed to be more important than other:

• access to adequate and enough human resources,
• a proper location for rent, with the possibility of further expansion,
• accessibility by car within an hour from Copenhagen,
• a nice location without polluting factories smokes, etc.,
• fast and flexible public service and co operation.

The latter two conditions had to be adjusted. The work force had in general an adequate competence profile but there was a lack of specific knowledge and training within the functions of the call centre. The Harbour area was dominated by traditional harbour industries mainly related to transport and storage of products related to agriculture and road construction.

The task forces had two responses to these two questions:

• the union, the labour service and the business college developed a new training course for callers in call centre functions, and educated 50 persons ready to take on the new tasks - if the company should decide to locate new activities in Vordingborg.
  
• Vordingborg Municipality took the leadership in developing both a modern space for the company and the part of the city around this building. Together with an investor, the old spread cheese factory was totally modernised. Also, the plan for re-conversion of the industrial habour into a modern (even fancy) housing area was developed.

What have been the results of this rather "wild" strategy? New workplaces and the first 170 exclusive flats with the view to the sea are to be built soon.