Sustainable Organisation between Clusters of Optimised Logistics @ Europe is a project that aims to create an open European platform of excellence in the area of supply chain management and logistics in connection with hubs and gateways that will be open for participation by other regional clusters with a logistics and transportation profile after its establishment. Its purpose is to enable research-driven regional clusters throughout Europe to collaborate and exchange experiences for increasing sustainability and competitiveness of logistical services and intermodal transport operations.

1. SoCool@EU:
“The European Platform
of Clusters for Innovative
Logistics"
www.socool-logistics.eu

2. Index
 General Information
 Objectives
 Scope
 Consortium
 Work Packages
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

3. SoCool@EU general information
SoCool@EU
Sustainable Organisation between Clusters
Of Optimised Logistics @ Europe
 European project funded under the Regions of Knowledge
programme (Grant Agreement no: 287080)
 EC contribution: 2,528,025.36 €
 3-year initiative (2012 – 2014)
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

4. SoCool@EU Objectives
 Strategic level
 SoCool@EU is based on the ambition to create an open European
platform for EU excellence in sustainable and competitive supply
chains and logistics connected with hubs and gateways.
 Operational level
 Foster trans-national cooperation between research driven clusters as
well as mutual learning between regional actors.
 Develop and implement A Joint Action Plan at a European level to
increase the regional economic competitiveness.
 Support the internationalization of the regional research-driven
clusters.
 Mentor regions with a less developed research profile.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

5. SoCool@EU scope
WHAT HOW WHY
To create an open By enabling To increase
European platform research-driven sustainability and
of excellence in the regional clusters competitiveness of
area of supply throughout Europe logistical services
chain management to collaborate and and (intermodal)
and logistics in exchange transport
connection with experiences. operations in
hubs and gateways. Europe.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

6. Consortium and Participating Third Parties
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

7. Work Packages
Year 1 – 2012 Year 2 – 2013 Year 3 – 2014
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 M13 M14 M15 M16 M17 M18 M19 M20 M21 M22 M23 M24 M25 M26 M27 M28 M29 M30 M31 M32 M33 M34 M35 M36
WP 1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WP2 - ANALYSIS &INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH
AGENDAS OF ACTORS IN REGIONAL CLUSTERS
WP3 - INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE INTEGRATION:
DEFINITION OF A JOINT ACTION PLAN (JAP)
WP4 - MEASURES TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A JOINT ACTION PLAN
WP5 - SUPPORT ACTIVITIES RELATING TO MENTORING
WP6 - DISSEMINATION AND VALORISATION
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

8. WP2 – ANALYSIS & INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH
AGENDAS OF ACTORS IN REGIONAL CLUSTERS
 Objectives
 Detailed overview of the state of play per cluster.
 Identification of stakeholder needs and opportunities for all clusters and partners
involved.
 Identification of synergies and opportunities for all clusters and partners involved.
 International cooperation strategy.
 Identify benchmarks and weaknesses which can be used for dissemination and
mentoring across Europe.
 Tasks
 Statistical analysis
 On-line questionnaire
 Cluster expert interviews
 Meta analysis
 Interpretation and verification of collected data.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

9. WP3 – INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE INTEGRATION:
DEFINITION OF A JOINT ACTION PLAN.
 Objectives
 Definition of a Joint Action Plan
 Definition of a Business Plan (incl. identification of funding sources for the JAP)
 Tasks
 Cluster conference and discussion panels
 Development of a Joint Action Plan (JAP) that will describe the overall strategy to
drive sustainable economic development through research and technological
development and innovation activities in the identified portfolios.
 Development of a Business Plan that will include long term objectives, milestone,
activities and funding sources.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

10. WP4 – MEASURES TOWARDS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A JOINT ACTION PLAN
 Objectives
 Implementation of the Joint Action Plan
 Development of a platform concept
 Tasks
 Breaking down the JAP into an operable project planning system.
 Definition of a platform concept through knowledge exchange that will include
activities such as:
 Workshops and seminars
 Executive courses
 Integration of the platform structure other related thematic European platforms
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

11. WP5 – SUPPORT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO
MENTORING
 Objectives
 Provide the mentoring region with an exchange platform to help them enrich their
knowledge basis, and create and reinforce transnational relationships.
 Equip the mentoring region with tools and methods to contribute to an efficient
and sustainable transport-related economy.
 Tasks
 Perform a needs analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the
mentoring region.
 Initiatives to implement mentoring actions directed towards two target groups:
 Decision makers and public organisations.
 SMEs and industry partners.
 Set up an accessible platform for the mentoring region to disseminate best
practices.
 Organisation of company audits in order to identify problems and develop policies.
 Set up awareness-raising activities on the concept of “green logistics”.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

12. WP6 – DISSEMINATION AND VALORISATION
 Objectives
 Definition of strategy for dissemination of project results.
 Awareness creation within and beyond the clusters involved, of the project
and the JAP.
 Establish and reinforce relations with decision makers, the industry and
with press and media.
 Validate newly generated knowledge and transfer excellent research and
ideas into practice, resulting in innovation that can be applied in the
market.
 Guarantee collaboration and involvement in European cluster initiatives
such as the European Cluster Alliance, the European Cluster Excellence
Initiative, the European innovation Platform for Clusters (Cluster-IP), and
the European Cluster Observatory.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

13. WP6 – DISSEMINATION AND VALORISATION
 Tasks
 Definition of a strategy for dissemination of project results.
 Development of new and dedicated dissemination tools and channels.
 Coordination of the establishment and reinforcement of the relations with
decision makers, the industry, and the European Commission within each
regional cluster.
 Coordination of the creation of a user group per region.
 Coordination of seminars, executive courses and organization of closing
conference.
 Collaboration with and involvement in the cluster related projects and
initiatives, lunched by the European Commission.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

14. Who can benefit from the project?
 Research-driven clusters: Entities conducting research
(universities, research organisations and research for profit
bodies), business entities (large enterprises and SMEs) or
local entities such as chambers of crafts, commerce and
industry, financial entities and consultants, operating in a
particular scientific and technological domain or economic
sector.
 R&D centers: Public or private entities that undertake
creative work on a systematic basis in order to increase the
stock of knowledge, create new products or define value-
added services.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu

15. Who can benefit from the project?
 Policy makers at European, national and regional levels:
People responsible for making policies or taking policies-
related decisions, especially in government.
 Regional and local authorities: Members of local or regional
governments and administrative entities.
 Industry: Companies and Companies’ Associations requesting
innovative products and services.
 General public: Population interested in logistics and
logistics-related sectors.
www.socool-logistics.eu – info@socool-logistics.eu