Smiltene

E u r o p e / L at vi a

M u n ic ip a lit y

www.smiltene.lv

Smiltene Municipality

ESTONIA

Salacgrīva Valmiera

RUSSIA

Ventspils Smiltene

RĪGA Jūrmala

Ogre

Jēkabpils

Rēzekne

Jelgava Liepāja

Daugavpils

LITHUANIA

Legend

Highways Railway tracks Natural gas pipelines

Cities Smiltene Municipality

BELARUS

Oslo 1 h 33 min

Helsinki 57 min Stockholm 1 h 3 min Tallinn 51 min Riga

Moscow 1 h 33 min

Copenhagen 1 h 24 min Dublin 2 h 58 min

Vilnius 50 min

London 2 h 35 min

Berlin 1 h 33 min

Minsk 1h

Warsaw 1 h 12 min Kiev 1 h 33 min

Paris 2 h 37 min Chisinau 1 h 58 min

Bucharest 2 h 14 min

Madrid 3 h 53 min

Rome 2 h 49 min

Istanbul 2 h 45 min

Athens 3 h 7 min

Valletta 3 h 33 min

Smiltene Municipality – a Place Where to Grow!

The distance from the municipality's administrative centre, the town of Smiltene, to: • Riga, the capital of Latvia – 132 km

Smiltene Municipality – a Place Where to Grow!

Smiltene Municipality is situated in the very centre of Vidzeme, where numerous roads and routes run together and cross. Due to its advantageous geographical location and available resources, Smiltene Municipality has become an attractive and dynamic place, where a well-developed and competitive industry coexists with long-standing and strong traditions in education, culture and sports.

• Estonian border town Valga – 45 km, Tallinn – 281 km • Lithuanian border – 213 km, Vilnius – 428 km • Russian border – 96 km, Pskov – 157 km, St. Petersburg – 450 km • Port of Riga – 134 km • Port of Ventspils – 315 km • Port of Liepāja – 342 km • Riga International Airport, Latvia (RIX) – 142 km • Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, Estonia – 277 km • Tartu Airport, Estonia – 126 km

Distance to the largest cities

Distance to the main ports

Distance to the nearest airports

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Riga

Pskov

Tallinn

Vilnius

St. Petersburg

132 km

157 km

281 km

428 km

450 km

Port of Riga

Port of Ventspils

Port of Liepāja

134 km

315 km

342 km

Tartu

Riga

Tallinn

126 km

142 km

277 km

Smiltene Municipality in Facts and Figures

Resident Population by Major Age Group*

• The territory of Smiltene Municipality covers 946.1 km² • Population – 13 663*

20%

• Freely available workforce – 6.4% • A well-developed road network • Developed public utilities

14%

• The public transport network provides connection with the major localities

66%

• The most important natural resources – agricultural land, forests and mineral deposits

* Source: The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs

Of working age

Over working age

Under working age

Natural Resources

1.8%

Forests Agricultural land

37.1%

Other land

1.5%

2.9% 1.8% 1.2%

1.2%

Land under roads Land under waters Swamp Bushes

52.4%

Land under buildings and courtyards

3

Entrepreneurship

A Competitive and Dynamic Municipality for Business Development In terms of socio-economic development, Smiltene Municipality ranks 28th among 110 municipalities in Latvia, which can be considered as a positive factor for business development.

“Smiltenes Impex� Ltd.

4

There are 1089 companies registered in Smiltene Municipality.

The largest companies by turnover are concentrated in forestry, wood processing, trade, road construction, agriculture and food processing.

Registered Companies by Form of Entrepreneurship, 2013

25%

37% 60%

6% 7% 6%

15%

Farms Ltd. Individual companies Sole proprietors

39%

Other form of business

Registered Companies by Sector of Activity, 2013

7% 3% Services

45%

Industry Construction

45%

Agriculture and Forestry

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Entrepreneurship

The Largest Companies by Turnover* 1. JSC "Stora Enso Latvija" – Wood processing, Sweden, Finland, 66.68 mln EUR 2. "Firma Madara 89" – Trade, Latvia, 42.33 mln EUR 3. "8 CBR" Ltd. – Road construction, Latvia, 27.69 mln EUR 4. "Graanul Invest" Ltd. – Wood pellets producing, Estonia, 18.17 mln EUR 5. "Graanul Pellets" Ltd. – Wood pellets producing, Estonia, 15.94 mln EUR 6. JSC "Smiltenes Piens" – Dairy production, Latvia, 12.18 mln EUR 7. "Smiltene Impex" Ltd. – Wood processing, Latvia, Germany, 11.81 mln EUR 8. “Vudlande” Ltd. – Wood processing, Latvia, 10.69 mln EUR 9. JSC "Strenču mežrūpniecības saimniecība" – Forestry, Latvia, 9.33 mln EUR

Agricultural Companies

10. "Lauku Apgāds Un Meliorācija" Ltd. – Trade, Latvia, 8.01 mln EUR

• "Palsa" Ltd. (mixed farming – crop growing and livestock farming)

11. "TROLL Smiltene" Ltd. – Furniture producing, Sweden, 5.56 mln EUR

• Farm "Kalējiņi" (dairy farming)

12. “Vaidens” Ltd. – Wood packing producing, Latvia, 3.47 mln EUR 13. “Mežvalde AD” Ltd. – Forestry, Latvia, 3.43 mln EUR

Major FDI investors are from:**

14. “Ķikuti-99” Ltd. – Road construction, Latvia,

• Estonia – 4 604 271 EUR

3.00 mln EUR 15. “Privātbūve” Ltd. – Trade, Latvia, 3.00 mln EUR *Year 2012 **Source : Lursoft

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• Farm "Rožkalni" (growing of cereals, legumes and oil seed crops )

• The United Kingdom – 1 804 201 EUR • Sweden – 646 607 EUR

Success Stories of the Largest Companies in Smiltene Municipality JSC "Smiltenes piens" The key to the company's success is its hardworking team, committed to achieve the set objectives.

"Vudlande" Ltd. The keys to success are: • 20 years of experience in the timber market • Employees who work in the company from the first day of its establishment • A close dialogue with the local government about development planning and the improvement of municipal infrastructure

JSC "Stora Enso Latvija" The key to success are: • Use of the latest technologies in manufacturing • Qualified employees, capable of producing high-quality, competitive products • A continuous development and investment in new technologies, production and resource efficiency

Farm "Kalējiņi 1" • Engaged in farming for 5 generations • Development based on boosting efficiency and implementing various infrastructure projects coupled with continued studying and sharing of experience

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Industrial Zones

8

Industrial Zones in Smiltene Municipality 20 industrial zones (private property) with a high concentration of production facilities located close to residential areas and roads.

Industrial zones occupy 370 ha; over 70 enterprises operate here employing more than 1000 people.

Available public utilities • Two 110 kV transmission lines • 20 kV and 0.4 kV overhead transmission lines and cables • Centralized water supply and wastewater collection and treatment systems in Smiltene Town and in villages • Heat supply systems have been built in Smiltene, Palsmane, Variņi, Kalnamuiža and Mēri, district heating is available in Smiltene Town and the village of Palsmane • Gas transmission pipeline Korneti–Inčukalns 5 km from Smiltene • Natural gas distribution infrastructure

Business Development Potential • Establishment of a logistics centre close (6 km from Smiltene) to the main road Riga–Veclaicene– St. Petersburg (A2) • Development of production/ industrial areas • Development of a shopping and leisure complex with a swimming pool (Smiltene Town) • Food production based on local raw materials • Construction of a residential area (Smiltene Town)

9

Local Government Support

Local Government Support for Business Development • Providing information about industrial areas, available utility networks, restrictions on economic activity, etc.

• Supporting businesses by the construction of public utilities, building and maintenance of municipality streets and roads to business locations • Real estate tax relief of 25% to start-up businesses • An established Business Advisory Council • Marketing activities undertaken jointly with local business people (participation in international exhibitions, business seminars, advertising)

The Best Examples of Cooperation between Smiltene Municipality and Local Business Community: • construction or reconstruction of municipal roads and public utilities for business zones

• renting out municipal property to businesses

“Thanks to the constructive co-operation with Smiltene Municipality while dealing with inaccuracies in the land usage plan, the company has implemented a new project this year and is launching the production of a new product, 'thermal wood', which is a high-quality material manufactured by treating wood at high temperatures."

Chairman of the Board Uldis Deisons JSC "Stora Enso Latvija"

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Available vocational and higher education • Vocational Education Competence Centre Smiltene Technical College – the only school in the entire Latvia, which offers young people to learn the professions of road construction machinery operator and veterinary assistant. It is also possible to acquire the professions of car mechanic and wood processing equipment operator.

• Baltic International Academy, Smiltene Branch (Financial Management, Law, Entrepreneurship, Tourism Management).

• Higher School of Management and Social Work "Attīstība", Smiltene Branch (Social work).

Educational institutions in the nearest neighbourhood: • Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Information Technologies, Tourism Management, Business Administration) • Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy, Cēsis Branch (Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Human Resource Management) • Turība University, Cēsis Branch (Business Administration, Law Science)

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A Qualitative Environment for Living

Smiltene Municipality – a Place to Live, Learn, Work and Relax A broad range of high quality services in education, sports, culture, and recreation are available in Smiltene Municipality: • 19 educational institutions, which provide all levels of education • A well-developed cultural infrastructure and an extensive amateur movement • A well-developed sports and recreation infrastructure • Long-standing and strong traditions and events well known beyond the municipality borders in cycling, motorsport, football, orienteering, ice hockey, volleyball, BMX and athletics • A variety of medical and social services

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Green zones • Availability of recreation resources • Recreation and sports complex "Teperis" • Latvia’s State Forests recreation area "Lake Niedrājs and its Surroundings" • Castle Mound of Cērtene

Contact Information: Smiltene Municipality Council Dārza iela 3, Smiltene, Smiltenes novads, LV-4729, Latvia Phone: +371 6477 4844 Fax: +371 6470 7583 E-mail: dome@smiltene.lv

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA

www.norwaygrants.org

www.varam.gov.lv