October the 26th, 2024 – The Croatian startup Meliori has been started by two talented Dalmatian engineers who have returned home to begin the production of an innovative product after years spent abroad.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Josipa Ban writes, the production of polymeric supports in a 350 square metre facility in the PODI Industrial Zone in Šibenik officially began in September. The plan is to start sales and delivery by December, as Antonia Omazić, the executive director of Meliori Polymer Engineering, announced.
The Croatian startup Meliori is otherwise the epilogue of a business idea that spouses Antonia and Marko Omazić, who both hold PhDs in polymer engineering, have been working on for the past two and a half years. This was the idea and entrepreneurial initiative of the two Dalmatians, who decided to return “home” after years of education, work and life in Austria. In doing so, they’ve firmly placed Šibenik, and thus Croatia, on the chip map. The Croatian startup Meliori has become the first and for now the only producers of polymer supports for semiconductors in Europe.
Theirs is a product that provides mechanical stability in the chip cutting process. Without, as it is called in English, the wafer frame (which is actually the polymer support) there would be no chip. Chips are tiny components necessary for the operation of almost all devices, from computers and mobile phones, to cars, to various electronics and even massive wind farms.
“The process involves a polymer film being glued to a single polymer support, on which a disk with chips is then glued. There can be 1,000 to 10,000 of them, depending on the size and technology,” explained Antonia Omazić. This is followed by cutting, which is very complicated, like almost everything in the demanding and expensive semiconductor and chip industry. It’s complex because silicon has an enormous mechanical hardness and must have mechanical stability during cutting, which is done with diamond blades or lasers. This stability is important because the chips are very thin (they’re thinner than a single strand of hair), and it is provided by a polymer carrier such as Meliori’s.
the croatian startup meliori has its first customer – from austria
Their first customer is Infineon Austria Technologies AG, a company known for producing high-quality chips. “When you qualify with them, all doors are swung open for you,” said Antonia Omazić, adding that the high standards set by Infineon may make it difficult for them to start because they too have to meet high standards. However, this is a short-term impact. In the long term, it should be very positive because it should make it easier for them to conclude deals with other suppliers as well. “There’s no shortage of this in Europe,” revealed Omazić.
The plans of the Croatian startup Meliori, which currently employs six people, mainly engineers, and which has invested around one million euros in the project to start the production of polymer supports, are very ambitious.
“We plan to stabilise our production and processes and raise volumes for the eight-inch frame size. The plan is to expand our list of customers and introduce a new production line and products. Our five-year plan includes the construction of our own plant where we’d increase the number of production lines, and our long-term goal is to open an independent centre for development and research. We’d look for new niches. In the semiconductor industry, there are more polymer products that could work. Our plan is to diversify our portfolio, as well as to expand to other industries such as automotive, pharmaceutical, medicine…” stated Omazić.
“Our vision is to become the leading European manufacturer of highly engineered plastic parts for industries that demand high quality,” the pair pointed out, adding that they’re focused exclusively on the European market. In addition to quality, the aspiration to obtain the label “Made in the EU” should bring an added plus to the company. The raw material and every piece of equipment in the plant also comes from right here in Europe,” said Omazić.
The two minds behind the Croatian startup Meliori first saw the opportunity to start their own production in the semiconductor industry back during the coronavirus crisis. Due to disruptions in supply chains, European manufacturers, as well as policy makers, were made painfully aware of the problem of dependence on production over in Asia.
an opportunity for croatia
Until the start of production in the very unlikely location of Šibenik, this item was being produced in several Asian countries and nowhere in Europe. The Omazićs, who were working at Infineon Austria Technologies AG at the time, realised that this was an opportunity they had to take advantage of. In addition, Marko Omazić, the founder of Meliori, received his doctorate precisely on the subject of the polymer support and the film that is stuck to it.
They carried out market research and then took action. An important role in starting their business was played by their former Austrian employer, who gave them a letter of intent to buy their products. That support was based on the credibility that Marko Omazić built in Infineon, because entering that market without previous high references is almost impossible.
Their idea also coincided with the European Union’s plans, formalised in the Chip Act, to strengthen its independence and competitiveness in the semiconductor industry. The risks they face are brought not only by problems in supply chains but also by the trade wars we’re currently witnessing.
The quality of the Croatian startup Meliori’s production in Šibenik, which currently consists of one line and can be expanded to a total of three, is based on quality. Owing to that, the company is confident that it will succeed in conquering the market. The quality of their project was also recognised by HBOR, which provided a loan covering part of the investment.
waiting for hbor was worth it
The wait for HBOR’s approval, admittedly, took half a year. Despite that, the pair behind the Croatian startup Meliori claim that the wait was worth it. “No commercial bank can compete with the conditions provided to entrepreneurs by HBOR”, they said, adding that here in, Croatia, there’s unfortunately generally a lack of money for investments like theirs.
“Investing in production is more risky, but if there were more money for projects like ours, there might be more high-tech and more complex projects,” they stated.
croatia is moving in the right direction
“Croatia has some excellent professional staff, very good faculties and a fantastic location within Europe”, stated Omazić, emphasising that the opportunities in this country are now moving in the right direction. “Perhaps the development is somewhat more challenging and slower, but it’s going the right way,” said the entrepreneur. This startup has put Croatia on the map and forced it into the sharp focus of a very demanding industry in a niche for which there is huge demand. The only competition currently comes from Asia.
