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Region of Pardubice – Advantageous Location

The Region of Pardubice is located in the eastern part of Bohemia, and, together with the regions of Hradec Králové and Liberec, it forms the North-East Cohesion Region (NUTS 2). A part of the region’s north-eastern border also forms the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The land area of 4 519 sq, km (5.7% of the area of the CR) make the Pardubice region the fifth smallest region in the country. The Region of Pardubice consists of four districts – Chrudim, Pardubice, Svitavy and Ústí nad Orlicí.

The Region of Pardubice is characterised by its diversity of natural conditions, population density and industrial and agricultural production. Future development of the Pardubice region will benefit from the region’s advantageous location, which is good for transport links. There are 542 km of railway tracks in the region, and the most important railway hubs include the towns of Pardubice and Česká Třebová, which form a part of the international railway corridor, Berlin – Prague –Brno – Vienna. Pardubice airport, which serves both military and civilian air traffic, is key to the region’s air transport.

Statistical Data

Source: Czech Statistical Office

Economic Potential

The region’s economy mainly depends on general engineering and electronics. The following industries are also represented: chemical, textile, clothing, leather manufacturing and food-processing. However, the most important is the chemical industry, which has the highest share in national production. There are 102 593 economic entities in the Region of Pardubice. 11 624 of them are in the category of small and medium enterprises (this amounts to 11%). There are 138 industrial enterprises with 100 or more employees in the region. Agriculture is also important – of the region’s entire land area, agricultural land takes up 60.75%, forests 29% and bodies of water 1.35%.

The biggest employer in the region is FOXCONN CZ, s. r. o., Pardubice, which specializes in the manufacture of computer technology. Other important employers include AVX Czech Republic in Lanškroun (electrical engineering), Iveco Czech Republic in Vysoké Mýto, Synthesia Pardubice (chemical industry), Saint-Gobain Vertex in Litomyšl (glass-making), Rieter CZ in Ústí nad Orlicí (manufacture of textile machines and a sub-supplier to the automotive industry), OEZ in Letohrad (electrical engineering), KIEKERT-CS Pardubice with its centre of operations in Přelouč (automotive industry), Panasonic Mobile & Automotive Systems Pardubice (manufacturer of mobile phones and audiovisual equipment), Automotive Safety Components International in Jevíčko (sub-supplier to the automotive industry), REHAU, s. r. o., in Moravská Třebová (automotive and plastics industries). Enterprises with well-known names include Paramo in Pardubice, Eta in Hlinsko or Korado in Česká Třebová.

An important role in the development of modern technologies and in improving competitiveness is played by clusters. The region hosts the “Nanomedic Medicine-Pharmaceutical Cluster”; it associates a number of firms, universities and research institutions, which cooperate in the area of research, development, production and commercial realization in medical and nanotechnological fields. The TechnoPark Pardubice has been open to entrepreneurs since 2008. It offers suitable space for research, testing, prototype production and technology realization. The region has some 20 industrial zones. Businesses can make use of “brownfields”, i.e. space that has lost its original economic use. Brownfields tend to be large premises in larger towns (most of them are available in Pardubice). The largest brownfields in the region are usually former military areas.

Tourist Trade

The Region of Pardubice has many prerequisites for the development of the tourist trade. The region has beautiful nature of both flat and mountainous character, favourable climate and many opportunities for bathing, water sports, walking tours, bicycling and winter sports. Areas attractive for tourists include the northern and eastern parts of the Ústí nad Orlicí district – the foothills of the Orlické Mountains, Skiregion Buková hora, Ski resort Sněžník Dolní Morava. Agrotourism, especially with emphasis on traditional horse breeding, is developing throughout the entire region (in the foothill areas). The region’s cultural facilities and activities are mainly concentrated in towns. The most important ones include the Chrudim Puppetry Museum and the Slatiňany château and its hippology museum.

Visitors to the Pardubice district will be mainly attracted to the Pardubice château with its exhibits of the East Bohemia Museum and the East Bohemia Gallery. Then it is the late-Gothic castle on the Kunětice mountain and the African Museum in Holice, which is dedicated to a native of Holice, the traveller Dr. Emil Holub. Every year, many visitors come to see the national stud farm in Kladruby nad Labem. Besides regular tours, the stud farm also organizes various events for horse lovers.

Places attractive for tourists in the Svitavy district include the Svojanov castle or the Litomyšl château, which has been a part of the UNESCO world cultural heritage list since 1999. The opera festival Smetana’s Litomyšl and the music festivals in Polička (birthplace of the composer, Bohuslav Martinů) have a long tradition. The most famous sports venue is the Pardubice racetrack where the Velká pardubická steeplechase takes place. The Pardubice region is the leader in many other sports as well.

Districts:

Chrudim District

The district has a number of industries present, and the structure of the fields is relatively diversified. Important industrial centres include Chrudim (engineering, textile industry), Hlinsko (electrical engineering, textile industry, fur industry, food-processing), Skuteč (leather-making, construction materials), Prachovice (construction materials), Třemošnice (engineering). The development of smaller private firms increases the number of people employed in construction. More extensive economic activities in Chrudim use the industrial zone on the premises of the now-closed Transporta company, as well as new zones in other parts of Chrudim. The Chrudim district is an area attractive for tourists with a number of cultural and historical monuments and many natural wonders. The attractiveness of the district for tourists is also largely influenced by the Jewish quarter in Heřmanův Městec and the set of folk houses, Vysočina, at Veselý Kopec and in other nearby locations in the Hlinec area. The Hlinec-area shrovetides have been added to the UNESCO world cultural heritage list in 2010.

Pardubice District

The district of Pardubice has an advantageous position for transport. The most important railway track in the country, Prague – Olomouc, crosses the territory of the district from west to east. The track is being modernized as a part of the construction of an international high speed corridor. The relatively favourable climate along with the composition of the soil create good conditions for agriculture. Industrial production is mainly concentrated in towns, with the regional town of Pardubice being the most important industrial centre. Many important firms have their place of business in the town, especially on the outskirts in the developing industrial zones. The district’s dominant industry is the manufacture of electronics and computer technology. Other important industries include chemical, petrochemical, engineering and food-processing. Industrial production also takes place outside of the regional town and in Přelouč. Electrical power is provided by the region’s only two steam power plants, which burn brown coal, in Opatovice nad Labem and Chvaletice. In recent years, foreign investors have helped to develop the manufacturing of computers, communication equipment and sub-supplies to the automotive industry. Their production forms the major part of the Pardubice region’s export. The dynamically developing University of Pardubice, which was established in 1994 by expanding the Institute of Chemical Technology, has been contributing significantly to the development of education.

Ústí nad Orlicí District

Owing to the prevalence of less favourable conditions, agriculture is oriented at cattle farming. The district has an extensive industrial base, the industry in the district is not one-sided, and the structure of industries is relatively diversified. In recent years, the following industries have recorded the greatest volumes of production: electrical engineering, textile industry, and manufacture of machines and equipment. However, the importance of the textile industry has decreased recently. On the other hand, manufacture transport vehicles(buses) has been continually on the rise. Česká Třebová is the most important transport hub. The district’s largest investments include the building of industrial factories in Česká Třebová, Lanškroun, Ústí nad Orlicí and Zámrsk, and the reconstruction of the plant in Vysoké Mýto.

Svitavy District

The production character of the district is varied. While the number of people employed in agriculture decreases, the primary sector’s share in overall employment figures remains higher than in other districts of the region. Crop farming is mostly oriented towards cereals and rape seed. The industry in the district is not one-sided, and the structure of industries is relatively diversified. Food-processing and textile enterprises have had the greatest volume of production in recent years. However, the importance of the textile industry has decreased recently. On the other hand, manufacture of glass fibers has been continually on the rise. The following industries are also strongly represented: metalworking, engineering and manufacture of means of transport (mainly accessories). The new industrial zones in Moravská Třebová, Svitavy, Polička and Litomyšl are mostly occupied by small and medium enterprises.

Useful contacts:

Regional Authority of the Pardubice region, www.pardubickykraj.cz 
University of Pardubice, www.upce.cz 
Regional Chamber of Commerce of the Pardubice region, www.khkpce.cz 
City Authority of Pardubice, www.pardubice.eu 
Regional Development Agency for the Pardubice region, www.rrapk.cz