TFC history

The Excellent Living Environments (EXCELIVING) project aims to address the challenges are facing the Habitat value chains contributing to promote a favorable ecosystem to give the European Habitat value chains a competitive lead in the promotion of healthy, age-friendly and sustainable spaces and buildings strengthening innovation transfer, cluster management excellence and interregional collaboration to work together, from a cross-sectorial dimension, towards a smarter, greener, more competitive and international Habitat sector in an involving European and international business ecosystem. In this sense, the EXCELIVING project adopts a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectorial approach involving clusters from different value chains of the Habitat sector.

Project partners: Habitat Cluster Barcelona (Spain), Smartech Cluster (Spain), Cluster Habitat Sustentável (Portugal), Wellfare Tech (Denmark), Transylvanian Furniture Cluster (Romania)
Implementation period: February 2022 – January 2024
Total value of the project: 617.490 euro

Furniture Go International (FGOI) is a project driven by eight clusters from six European countries and funded by the European Commission. Between 50 and 100 small and medium-sized enterprises in the furniture and related industries are expected to participate directly in this 100% results-oriented project.

FGOI will help SMEs to reach new markets through collaboration and innovation. The project will establish a European Strategic Cluster Partnership to intensify cooperation in furniture and related industries, within EU and towards four third countries, namely USA, Canada, Egypt, and South Africa.

Project partners: TFC-Transylvanian Furniture Cluster (Romania), HABIC-Association Cluster of Habitat, Wood, Office and Contract Sector (Spain), WIC-Wood Industry Cluster (Slovenia), KCN-Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers (Czech Republic), ICS-Interior Cluster Sweden (Sweden), PWC- PRO WOOD Regional Cluster (Romania), BFC-Bulgarian Furniture Cluster (Bulgaria), HCB-Habitat Cluster Barcelona (Spain).

Implementation period: September 2021 – September 2024
Total value of the project: 549.248 euro (grant) and 61.026 euro (private funding)

More info on the project’s website fgoi.eu and dedicated page on this website.

Grow your manufacturing business! Better Factory provides a methodology for manufacturing SMEs to collaborate with artists to develop new and personalized products. At the same time, it supplies technology for SMEs to become cyber-physical systems, transforming them into lean-agile production facilities capable of manufacturing new and personalized products along with existing ones. Better Factory invites Small and Medium-sized Manufacturers (SMEs) to redesign their current product portfolio together with Business and Arts mentors and Technology experts.

The consortium coordinated by VTT (Finland), includes 28 partners from 18 european countries representing the arts ecosystem – competence centres- (INOVA, GLUON and WAAG); technology competence centres (Fraunhofer IPA, AIMEN, Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana, Slovakia National Centre of Robotic, INESCTEC, Cyprus University of Technology); industrial clusters (Transylvanian Furniture Cluster, Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre, Latvian Federation of Food Companies / Food Products Quality Cluster, CLUTEX ‐ Klastr Technicke Textilie, Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs‐Baranya, ICT cluster and University of Oulu); technology suppliers (INFOTECH, Top Data Science, Holonix, GESTALT Robotics and European Dynamics); art supplier (In4Art); business developer (Hermia Yrityskehitys Oy); open call management (FundingBox); legal framework (time.lex); and communication and dissemination (Mobile World Capital Barcelona).

Implementation period: October 2020 – September 2024
Total value of the project: 8.576.163,75 euro

More info on the project’s website betterfactory.eu and dedicated page on this website.

In INTRIDE – Designers as Innovative Triggers for SMEs in the Manufacturing Sector – we are leading the creation of a strong link and continuous interaction among HEIs (Higher Education Institutions), industry and intermediaries by developing a joint curriculum of the designer with soft, digital and green skills conceived as innovation trigger in activating innovation processes and managing the collaboration ecosystem.

Specific objectives:

1. Developing a Joint Master Degree programme addressed to students (graduated or post graduated) or company employees for a multidisciplinary profile (designer + soft/digital/green skills) based on authentic teaching – training supplied directly by company’s staff, thanks also to practical activities – on work-based learning.
2. Stimulating HEIs’ offer modernisation and adaptation to industry world needs/ HE system getting closer to business needs, perspective and businesses benefiting from high level competences.
3. Developing HE + industry community continuous interaction still through the creaction of a community platform.

Implementation period: January 2020 – December 2022
Total value of the project: 975.174 euro

More info on the project’s website intride.eu and dedicated page on this website.

The research project, financed under NP III, Program 2 – Increase of the Romanian economy competitiveness through RDI aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the cluster through development of management capacity of the research-development-innovation (RDI) projects (CDI), development of a new product (static-dynamic chair) at cluster level and/or in partnership with the Cluster Management Entity, as well as supply of support services for the internationalization of the CMT members for a period of 24 months.

In 2019, the NP III project team carried out specific research and development activities related to the intelligent chair, which resulted in the creation of the prototype and its launch on the market. Thus, MyTesla, an ergonomic chair with incorporated pressure and distance sensors for the detection and prevention of incorrect user posture, was created. The chair is currently object of patent procedure at European level, with the patent application number 19000394.7/EP19000394.

Implementation period: July 2018 – July 2020
Total value of the project: 95,000 euro

More info on the project’s dedicated page on this website.

Three of the clusters active in the region of Transylvania, Transylvanian Furniture Cluster, Transylvania IT Cluster and AgroTransylvania Cluster, answered the desires expressed by the companies they represent by creating this project, as a platform on which they learn the process for elaboration of alternative public policies, whose aim is supporting the competitiveness and innovation of the economic environment in the country.

Project co-financed under the Operational Programme Administrative Capacity – Priority Axis Efficient Public Administration and Judicial System.

Implementation period: November 2018 –  2022
Total value of the project: 947.447 lei

More info on the project’s dedicated page on this website.

Cluj– Future of Works is the first project in Eastern Europe funded by the European Commission through the Urban Innovative Actions research-development programme.

3 scenarios were developed under this project:

• Culturepreneurs 20/21, through which 60 entrepreneurs benefit from training courses and from a scholarship to develop and implement their projects.
• Informal work through which 4 typologies were identified as being specific to the Pata Rât community, aiming to help integrating this marginalized social categories in the workforce
• Work 4.0, scenario talking the risk of automation for many existing jobs, aiming to facilitate the transition to the 4.0 industry

Project implemented in co-management by the Cluj-Napoca Cityhall and the Cluj Cultural Centre, in a consortium with 8 other local organizations: Transylvanian Furniture Cluster, Transylvania International Film Festival, University of Arts and Design in Cluj-Napoca, ZAIN Transylvania Creativity Festival, Intercommunity Development Association in the Cluj Metropolitan Area, Cluj IT Cluster, Transylvania Creative Industries Cluster and Transylvania IT Cluster.

Implementation period: October 2018 – December 2022
Total value of the project: 5.536.808 euro

More info on the official site and the project’s dedicated page on this website.

The project received funding through the Competitiveness Operational Program 2014-2020, Action 1.1.1 – Large CD infrastructures.

The infrastructure developed by this project consists of two laboratories designed for:

• functional coatings applied to increase the life of the furniture and obtain special visual effects, such as the effect of premature aging of wood, vintage
• conducting studies and experiments to develop new materials and composite materials used for the production of plastic furniture with superior characteristics

In addition, the project included innovation and new product development activities in partnership with researchers from other countries, as well as cluster operations.

Implementation period: September 2016 – January 2022
Total value of the project: 2.600.000 euro

More info on the project’s dedicated page.

Stimulating the dynamics of the regional business environment and of the entrepreneurial spirit through this project implemented in the North-West region of Romania by the Transylvanian Furniture Cluster, in partnership with CIVITTA, ARIES Transylvania, AgroTransylvania Cluster, Impact HUB Bucharest, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca and the University in Oradea.

The project financed under OPHC/82/3/7/106532 was formally called Learn2DO4Entrepreneurship and implemented under the name of Partener StartUp.

Implementation period: January 2018 – January 2021 (2016 was the year when the project was written and submitted for funding)
Total value of the project: 12.986.953 lei

More info on the project’s dedicated page.

Transylvania Furniture Cluster competitiveness pole – the first initiative of this kind in the furniture industry, received funding for the implementation of an integrated package of projects aiming to apply the Cluster Development Strategy for the next 10 years. The project was funded by the Sectoral Operational Program POS CCE 2017-2013, Operation 1.3.1, „Development of business support structures of national and international interest – Competitiveness Poles”.

The proposals from this project were made in partnership between several members of the cluster, under the coordination and monitoring of the cluster’s management team.

Implementation period: April 2014 – December 2015
Total value of project: 6.500.000 euro

More info on the project’s dedicated page.

TFC is a partner in this annual project that provides professional training in consulting for undergraduate and Master students. The project is an initiative of Hygia Consult, a company member of Transylvanian Furniture Cluster. For each edition, TFC has been provided internship for LCDC graduates, who could thus contribute to the management team activities, such as writing funding applications for new products, progress reports for projects being implemented.

Implementation period: 2014 – ongoing

More info on the project’s dedicated page.

The project’s objective was to create the premises for the sustainable development of the cluster, through management, internationalization and marketing activities. The project, funded through Sectoral Operational Program for Increasing Economic Competitiveness – POSCCE, Operation 1.3.3, ensured to the administrative consolidation of the cluster management while also supporting the increase of cooperation between members and their visibility at European level – by facilitating their participation at national and international furniture trade fairs.

Implementation period: April 2014 – November 2015
The total value of the project: 80.000 euro

The year when Transylvanian Furniture Cluster was established, with the help of ADR Nord-West, and the first common development strategy for the furniture sector was elaborated, which took into account the extended value chain of the production of furniture, components and accessories.

In preparation of the open call Development of business support structures of national and international interest – Competitiveness Poles, funded through POS CEE (Sectoral Operational Program for Increasing Economic Competitiveness), Operation 1.3.1 the cluster’s team and members worked at an integrated package of 10 projects in order to obtain funding.

The package included 6 investment projects, 2 RDI projects and 2 „soft skills” projects, all of them created exclusively in partnership between several members of the cluster, under the coordination and monitoring of the cluster management team.

Over the next years, after obtaining funding, among the RDI results were 13 patent applications for new products filed with OSIM, of which one was also filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) and 17 scientific articles.