The EMRC is a regional local government working on behalf of six member councils: the Town of Bassendean; cities of Bayswater, Belmont and Swan; and the shires of Kalamunda and Mundaring.
It is responsible for waste management, environmental services, regional development, risk management, resource recovery and corporate services and governance.
EMRC regional development manager Warren Hill said the clusters would enable businesses to work closely to identify common issues, new market opportunities and develop solutions to common problems, such as a lack of skilled labour.
“With a high concentration of metals, mining and engineering businesses in the eastern metropolitan region, the project will focus on identifying common problems and issues faced by these sectors,” he said.
“The project is a first for the eastern metropolitan region, but the concept of business clusters has evolved during more than four decades and is successful in Europe and the US.
“Clusters of related companies are gaining significant competitive advantage by working together, securing new business opportunities and addressing common problems.”
Mr Hill is seeking support from businesses in Perth’s eastern metropolitan region to engage in a series of forums, seminars and one-to-one interviews to explore the potential benefits of clustering initiatives.
“We are still in the very initial stages,” he said. “Industry groups and major employee associations are seeing the benefits for their members as a way to potentially solve some of the major problems they are experiencing.
“And it will create more immediate and tangible solutions to these problems. It is an opportunity and an important role that companies can play in marketing their business and the opportunities that exist, but the local link is imperative.”
Mr Hill said the clusters would encourage competition among firms in the same industries but also promote working together with competitors to resolve common problems.
