• The DR-23 program represents one of the most relevant non-reimbursable financing opportunities for the bakery and flour products industry during this period.
With a financing value that can reach up to 3 million euros per project, the line addresses both investments in new production units and projects to modernize, diversify or expand existing capacities.
Beyond the high interest generated by the available budgets, the experience of the submission session shows that the success of a DR-23 project is not determined exclusively by eligibility or score, but especially by the way the investment structure is thought out. An unbalanced approach, in which construction consumes the resources intended for technology, can transform a financing opportunity into a difficult or even impossible project to implement.
Packaging versus the essence of the investment
The construction of a new hall is visible, tangible and easy to quantify. The technology, on the other hand, is less spectacular at first glance, but it is the element that actually generates economic value. The desire to build is not wrong in itself, but it becomes risky when "packaging" ends up consuming the budget allocated "hearts" of the project – equipment and technological flow.
Analysis of projects implemented in recent years indicates a clear pattern: success is determined by the quality and consistency of the technology investment, not the size of the building. When a significant portion of the budget is absorbed by construction costs – often unpredictable – equipment ends up being undersized, compromised or eliminated, and the project operates below its true potential.
Technology – the heart that generates profit
Regardless of whether we are talking about a new or modernized unit, the equipment is what determines the production capacity, the unit cost and the quality of the final product. A modern hall, but equipped with mediocre equipment, cannot support healthy development in the long term.
From the experience gained in financed investment projects implemented in recent years, including in the food processing industry, a clear pattern emerges: projects that prioritize technology and a coherent operational flow have significantly higher chances of implementation and long-term performance.
From a practical perspective, DR-23 beneficiaries should prioritize the following aspects when sizing their investment:
- complete coverage of the technological flow, so that each stage of the production process is coherently integrated;
- energy efficiency, through the use of equipment with reduced electricity, gas and water consumption, with a direct impact on operational costs;
- process automation, in response to the labor shortage in the industry, where recruiting qualified personnel can take months;
- equipment flexibility, allowing diversification of the product range and rapid adaptation to market requirements and seasonality;
- reducing production and delivery times, an increasingly important competitive advantage;
- increasing food security, through a higher level of technology and less dependence on the human factor.
Why modernization is a real opportunity in DR-23
The fact that the funds earmarked for modernization were not exhausted in this DR-23 session indicates an underestimation of the potential of this type of investment. Modernization allows for the capitalization of an existing infrastructure and the rapid integration of new technologies, with lower risks and significantly reduced implementation times.
A key advantage of modernization projects is the much shorter implementation time. The lack of complex authorization stages and large-scale construction works considerably reduces risks and uncertainties, allowing beneficiaries to put new technologies into operation in a much shorter time frame.
In a market where speed of reaction is critical, this translates into faster time to market, efficient adaptation to consumer demands and better control of cash flow. Modernization is not just about optimizing costs, but also gaining a real competitive advantage by reducing implementation risk and accelerating the revenue generation process.
Conclusion
DR-23 is not about who builds the biggest hall, but about who builds the technological heart of their investment correctly. Concrete does not generate profit; processing does.
The experience of recent years shows that the DR-23 projects that are successfully implemented are those built on an integrated vision. It is not enough for an investment to be eligible on paper; it must be technically sustainable, financially balanced and realistic in terms of implementation.
Entrepreneurs who view DR-23 not just as a source of financing, but as a strategic development tool, are the ones who manage to transform non-reimbursable funds into real production and profit capacities. In this context, the expertise built over time, through involvement in complex projects, becomes the essential differentiator between a stalled project and a functional, competitive and sustainable one.
Article made by the company Goodwill Consulting.
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