The family-owned company Jabor pro sro from Děčín is one of those Czech companies that build on solid foundations of tradition, but at the same time are not afraid of innovation. The proof is not only their strong position in the field of tarpaulin structures, but above all the development of mobile PVC bags for storing liquids, with which they address not only firefighters, farmers, municipalities or industrial enterprises, but also national parks and organizations providing crisis management. It was for this product that they won 2nd place in the Innovative Company of the Ústí nad Labem Region 2024 competition in the category of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The bags produced by the company are the result of many years of development, experience from abroad and intensive cooperation with experts, including specialists in the field of fire protection. Their main advantage? Quick deployment, flexibility, high durability and, above all, the absence of the need for a building permit.

From foreign cooperation to in-house development

The collaboration with a British company, one of the leaders in the field of technical textiles, provided Jabor with a strong technological foundation. Thanks to it, the team gained know-how and access to production technologies and processes that were not commonly available in the country at the time, and was able to skip years of in-house development and testing. Today, the company produces its own high-strength bags from certified materials, designed exactly according to customer needs.

"We knew that if we wanted to succeed, we had to offer a product that could withstand all conditions – be it frost, heat, or extreme loads. And at the same time, it had to be affordable and easy to use," explains the company's CEO Lukáš Jabor.

With ICUK towards more efficient processes

When demand grows, the company must grow too. In order for Jabor to not only be able to produce innovative products, but also to ensure a smooth and efficient flow of orders, joined the ICUK Platinn program. A mentoring program, provided by the Innovation Center of the Ústí nad Labem Region, which helps established companies discover new opportunities and overcome barriers with the help of expert mentors.

Thanks to cooperation with an expert, we managed to optimize key processes in the company, effectively implement changes in daily operations, and better utilize the Helios information system, which helps manage production, order management, and communication across departments.

“The Platinn mentoring program helped us clarify where we were wasting time and energy in our processes. Today, we have a better-set system that allows us to grow without unnecessary hiccups,” adds Oskar Žižka, the company's sales manager.

Now, as part of its ongoing cooperation with ICUK, the company is also planning to focus on the area of marketing.

Future plans? Entering new markets

The company is currently developing the production of flood barriers and is also monitoring the possibilities of using bags in foreign markets, where awareness of similar solutions is significantly higher than in the Czech Republic.
The use of bags for storing drinking water in crisis areas is also in play, with Jabor now working to meet European standards and harmonize with Czech legislation.

"Our vision is to bring technological solutions that make sense – ecologically, economically and practically. We believe that mobile bags have their place in the modern world,” concludes Lukáš Jabor.