After last year's decline in investment, this year most companies (61%) will invest more, by an average of 23%. However, half of the companies (47%) still lack sufficient funds. Subsidies are attractive to only two-fifths of companies (42%). Their greater popularity is hampered by the administrative complexity of the programs and narrowing conditions preventing greater practical use.
Investments are the living water industry. Covid-19 caused a postponement of a number of investment plans in 2020, and at the same time revealed the weaknesses of the insufficient digital readiness of Czech industrial companies and accelerated the inevitable processes of change. Most companies (61%) will invest more this year, by an average of 23%. It will be mainly large companies (65%) that plan to increase their investments by less than one third (28%). Small and medium-sized enterprises will be a little more cautious, half of them will invest more (55%), on average one fifth more (17%).
"In connection with the planned innovations in the industrial sphere, it is necessary to increase the funds flowing into research capacities here in the Czech Republic. This is where the demand of a number of companies operating on the Czech market will be concentrated. Not only functional subsidy programs, but above all synergies with scientific workplaces will help start fundamental changes and the transformation of Czech industry towards high added value, "says prof. Vladimír Mařík, Scientific Director of CIIRC CTU and Vice-Chairman of the Council for Science, Research and Innovation.
"Now it looks like we have the worst behind us in terms of covid-19. This pandemic has done and continues to do huge damage. However, every crisis can be stronger if the right steps are taken. Our industry must necessarily transform and digitize, and this requires not only huge investments, but also an environment that supports this transformation, "says Jaroslav Lískovec, director of the National Center for Industry 4.0, adding:" And this environment should be created by the state. Unfortunately, it is already clear that, for example, the National Recovery Plan, which could have had the ambition to significantly support this environment, completely failed and the issue of industrial transformation, which has more than 30% of GDP, is negligible in its importance for the Czech Republic. I am very concerned that the open window where the transformation of Czech industry could be started in response to a pandemic will be closed by the state with populist steps and spending before the election campaign. "
"It is clear that the coronavirus crisis has negatively affected the investment plans of many companies. They often faced the dilemma of whether they preferred to freeze investments or lay off some employees. At the same time, however, new cards are being "handed out" again, and companies and entire industries are being restructured. The winners will be those who are able to adapt to new trends as quickly as possible, who will already effectively invest in their transformation and digitization of activities, "says Patrik Pražák, director of large corporate clients of Česká spořitelna, a.s.
"After a temporary postponement of investment plans, it can be well observed that companies continue to implement their projects, especially in the area of increasing productivity, where there is a clear guarantee of return," sees the practice Petr Gaman, Vice Chairman of the Board of Prague Advanced Technology and Research Innovation Center, a.s.
