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Visit image gallery to purchase the image firstly it is winter and for some reason Christmas just seems to fit more to a winter scene Our village lights were up since the beginning of December when we celebrated "Mikulas" or Santa along with the angels and devils The differences include celebrating on the evening of the 24th with the main dish "carp" fried in breadcrumbs and served with potato salad But the kids usually get fried chicken and as a starter only Christmas cookies and there are a lot of different types and they are very yummy it is time to sit down and watch a Czech fairy tale and open presents Each Christmas a new fairytale is released then over the next week the TV is showing fairly tales non-stop I am in the middle of either making new fences or repairing the neighbour’s to be able to graze the paddocks Our winter situation is a bit different this year as we usually agree with a neighbour to graze the paddocks next to ours But he has now applied for an eco subsidy (talking about subsidies is an article just on its own) and that means no animals can be on the land So I am left with only 1ha of winter pasture But another neighbour who used to have horses said I could graze those meadows so with my motorised hole driller I have been busy fixing them It is a bit nippy out at the moment and temperatures are around -6°C Construction Week Online Home » Projects and Tenders » Factory tour: Bobcat Dobris Campus Situated less than an hour’s drive from Prague in the leafy countryside of the Czech Republic Bobcat Dobříš Campus is about as far removed from the Middle East as it’s possible to get Construction Week’s wintertime excursion to the complex was replete with grey skies and – although apparently mild for the time of year – what one might politely refer to as ‘sub-GCC’ temperatures Yet despite its unmistakably Eastern European setting Bobcat Dobříš Campus represents the key to the manufacturer’s future success in the Middle East with global design responsibility for an array of lines – from the smallest skid-steer loaders (SSLs) to three-tonne mini-excavators – many of the newest Bobcat models working in the Gulf were most likely conceived and manufactured in the Czech Republic The site was established back in the mid-1990s by Superstav a Czech-headquartered firm that designed and manufactured backhoe loaders for the North American market Bobcat arrived in Dobříš following the 2001 acquisition of Superstav by its then-parent company the plot changed hands once again when Doosan Infracore acquired Bobcat The site has undergone significant development since the South Korean equipment giant took control Four main facilities comprise Bobcat Dobříš Campus: a training centre The new factory and training centre were inaugurated in 2007 following Doosan’s acquisition of Bobcat Last year saw the addition of both the innovation and distribution centres according to the brains behind Bobcat Dobříš Campus is to have all components of the product development cycle on one site The training and innovation centres oversee the research and development (R&D) of new products whilst the manufacturing plant and distribution centre are responsible for bringing these models to market ‘Campus’ might sound like a grandiose title but it is one that Bobcat’s Dobříš site has most definitely earned we are committed to doing more and doing better More in terms of taking responsibility for engineering within Doosan Bobcat Dobříš Campus has expanded both production and engineering responsibility [in this segment] We are also providing services related to mid-range excavators for our colleagues in South Korea All of these activities are centred on engineering expertise here in Dobříš “The ability to [conduct these activities] in an efficient and effective manner is one of the reasons we decided to build the innovation centre,” he continues “Everything is collocated so that we can work together as a cross-functional team.” The product development cycle begins at Bobcat Dobříš Campus’s training centre but also to collect feedback from the manufacturer’s stakeholders: 215 training sessions were conducted last year with approximately 2,500 internal personnel and customers passing through the training centre’s doors vice president of Doosan Infracore’s Compact Business Unit says that the training centre is one of his team’s most valuable research tools “This facility allows us to obtain feedback from the market,” he notes but we can also learn from our customers and dealers about products and the areas in which we need to improve.” This feedback is then used to inform engineering activities at the innovation centre: a facility designed to accelerate product development bringing high-quality machines to market in the shortest possible timeframe “The things we learn from the training centre are used to devise new products in the innovation centre,” says Cuadrado “This facility houses the people who work on product development; not just engineers but also manufacturing and marketing professionals All of these teams work together using feedback from our customers and dealers.” vice president of engineering at Doosan Infracore’s Compact Business Unit adds: “Doosan invested a huge amount of money to build the global R&D centre in South Korea The company then established an acceleration centre in North Dakota and at the same time – in 2014/2015 – it built this innovation centre in the Czech Republic “The theory is to establish a chain of global R&D facilities capable of working together on product development That’s the vision for the innovation centre – to help build and sustain our level of technological leadership and to pass this innovation on to our customers,” Rak explains the factory at Bobcat Dobříš Campus is being used to produce 14 mini-excavator and 10 loader models five new models have been launched from this plant and seven have been transferred from the manufacturer’s North American production hub The Dobříš facility has the capacity to build 23,800 units per year More than 70% of the units produced at the campus are sold in the Europe The remainder are exported to other markets represents the final stage of the production cycle In addition to the distribution of units designed and manufactured at the campus this facility is used to store and distribute EMEA-bound machines produced in other global regions the campus’s director of operations and total quality management (TQM) comments: “Machines produced in North America and South Korea are imported to EMEA through Dobříš We use this facility as a supply base for our dealers and customers: it offers a unique opportunity for us to focus on quality and to prepare units for the field.” “It is the first step along the way to a customisation centre which will allow us to really tailor machines based on the requirements that are being fed back from the field,” he continues we want to be able to receive machines and prepare them based on the needs of our customers.” Knoetgen says that Doosan is investing around €15m ($16.4m) in Bobcat Dobříš Campus on a yearly basis [including net investment and incentives] we have so far spent around €16.2m ($17.6m) which is a huge amount of money – especially in times when the financial situation is not always easy,” he adds we need to do a good job and provide the right environment for our employees We need to have the right equipment and invest in the future our colleagues in Seoul – Doosan’s senior management team – see things in the same way It’s a great thing to be able to look to the future and build something that will create value; value for us internally this investment has already resulted in tangible development- and production-related returns for the manufacturer the Dobříš team has added the T110 and T450 compact track loaders (CTLs); the E08 and E26 mini-excavators; and the S450 SSL to Bobcat’s line-up since 2007 whilst the 2008 financial crisis led to a significant dip in output the numbers are once again following an upwards trajectory More than 13,000 units were manufactured at the site in 2015 “The plan over the next five years is to increase this number to more than 20,000 units nearly doubling the production volume at Bobcat Dobříš Campus,” Knoetgen reveals what proportion of these units is likely to reach the Middle East Cuadrado tells Construction Week that this is a growth market for Bobcat the manufacturer is enjoying significant success in less-mature segments “There are some [established] product lines in the Middle East that are growing [gradually] and there are other emerging product lines that are growing more rapidly,” he says is still an emerging product in this region The number of units being sold in the Middle East is limited growth is very high; double digits for the past three-to-four years.” Cuadrado predicts that the Middle East will follow the same trajectory as markets like Europe and North America “If you look at how the mini-excavator has become popular in other global territories it has typically followed the popularity of the backhoe loader,” he explains “The Middle East is a very large backhoe loader market,” Cuadrado continues “When it comes to productivity and efficiency a mini-excavator can do the job faster than the backhoe I think that the mini-excavator will undergo significant growth in the Middle East during the coming years Shifting the focus back onto the region as a whole Knoetgen says that the EMEA market will play a key role in Doosan Infracore’s longer-term success “Within the context of Doosan Group as a whole the importance of the EMEA is continuously increasing,” he says adding that the Czech Republic represents a vital base for the South Korean manufacturer “We must continue to develop products that meet the highest standards in terms of both productivity and safety We can continue to make significant contributions to the growth and profitability of Doosan Group That’s why Doosan is willing to invest here in Dobříš,” Knoetgen concludes KQED Live EventsPRX Podcast Garage EventsEvents Around the Bay AreaMember Benefits with KQED LiveVideos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events FeaturedThat's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift A poster advertising the current sale at The Apothecarium, a marijuana dispensary in San Francisco. Pot businesses are slashing prices for some products across the state before new regulations take effect on July 1. (Chloe Veltman/KQED)At The Apothecarium chief marketing officer Eliot Dobris pops open the lid of a small black cylindrical container to reveal an even smaller glass jar inside It contains a concentrate that’s called Lemonade “It’s a wax,” Dobris says Dobris says that Lemonade didn’t undergo the required purity tests So it doesn’t meet the state’s new regulations “We can’t sell it after July 1,” Dobris says As a result, pot users around California are getting amazing deals on some marijuana products this week. That’s as dispensaries rush to offload inventory that will no longer meet the tough new regulations that take effect across the state on that date all of the state’s 1,100-plus marijuana licensees (which include more than 400 retail dispensaries like The Apothecarium,  as well as distributors and testing labs) will have to comply with dozens of new rules around packaging the assistant chief of communications for the Bureau of Cannabis Control as opposed to six months ago when recreational marijuana laws came into play to give the young industry a little breathing room “The reason was just to give the industry some time to use up supply on hand and sort of transition into the new regulated industry,” Traverso says He also says state inspectors are focusing on educating pot businesses and aren’t expecting to have to revoke too many licenses “Most folks have been pretty on the money as far as complying with these new rules,” Traverso says He says more than 600 inspections have taken place since Jan. 1, with another round to come following July 1. He adds his office is trying to support the industry by issuing guidelines and welcoming feedback in the months ahead But some industry insiders say the high costs of compliance will invariably hit consumers’ pockets and lead to a growing “The new regulations are a bit onerous, strict and conservative,” says Kristi Knoblich Palmer, president of the California Cannabis Industry Association board of directors and co-founder and CEO at the edibles company Kiva Confections “We simply can’t get through the testing requirements to have our products on the shelves.” Knoblich Palmer says the regulation enforcement comes at a time when California’s marijuana industry is already struggling She says sales are down from last year because of rising product costs caused by the expensive compliance process and that pot users are increasingly looking to the black market for their needs “We’re losing consumers every day in California to those unlicensed shops because they are beating us on price by as much as 50 percent,” Knoblich Palmer says Compliance is indeed an expensive business. Not only does The Apothecarium have a full-time compliance employee but Dobris also says his company will be temporarily out of stock of around 50 percent of its products starting on July 1 as manufacturers scramble to meet the state’s requirements “Some products will only be unavailable for a few days,” Dobris says Yet Dobris says his company welcomes the new regulations “We are really looking forward to enforcement because there are still a lot of gray market delivery services that are competing with us without having to spend all this money on compliance,” Dobris says “So we’re actually really excited about compliance enforcement because we think we’re going to do very well.” To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world. See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation. a Czech castle that served as a residency for Czech and international writers Before COVID-19, Prague was visited every year by millions of tourists looking for cheap beer and spectacular architecture the capital of then-Czechoslovakia attracted a very different crowd of travelers: Leftist intellectuals from around the world looking to see what life was like under socialism Many of those political tourists came from Latin America and included literary giants such as Jorge Amado and Gabriel García Márquez this shared history is now slowly being rediscovered and reassessed in the Czech Republic As the Cold War unfolded both the West and the Soviet Union engaged in intensive propaganda efforts to demonstrate the superiority of their political and socio-economic systems And both sides saw art as one an effective way to relay this message In the USSR, the All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, or VOKS as per its acronym in Russian had as its mission to invite public intellectuals and writers from all over the world to the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries Czechoslovakia, having joined the Eastern Bloc in 1948 after its Communist Party orchestrated a coup, was one of such destinations Besides Jorge Amado and Gabriel García Márquez the country received writers from Argentina (Raúl González Tuñón) Prague thus became a cultural leftist hub from the 1950s onwards gathering both burgeoning and established leftists writers such as Turkey's Nazım Hikmet and the Soviet Union's Ilya Ehrenburg Pablo Neruda, in fact, may have taken his artistic name from 19th-century Czech writer, poet, and journalist Jan Neruda (the Chilean poet was born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto) but photos of him walking Neruda street in Prague or posing before restaurants and pubs named “Neruda,” offers some solid ground for speculation a Czech academic focusing on the ties between the Eastern Bloc and Latin America who authored the 2018 book “Československo očima latinskoamerických intelektuálů 1947-1959” (“Czechoslovakia in the eyes of Latin American intellectuals from 1947 to 1959″ explains what motivated those intellectuals to accept such invitations:  V Latinské Americe existovala celá řada autoritářských režimů které pod záminkou potlačit levicovou subverzi masivně potlačovaly lidská práva Proto latinskoameričtí umělci sympatizující s komunistickou ideologií dostávali z východní Evropy jistou materiální a morální podporu tak texty ze čtyřicátých a padesátých let jsou obecně plné entusiasmu že na intelektuály z rozvojových zemí musely některé aspekty udělat velký dojem Zmínky o vysoké kvalitě divadelních představení There were a series of authoritarian regimes in Latin America that massively repressed human rights alleging the need to suppress leftist subversive forces This is why Latin American artists in favor of communist ideology would get material and moral support from Eastern Europe Regarding the testimonies of their travels the texts written in the 1940s and 1950s are usually full of enthusiasm It is clear that certain aspects [of socialist societies] made a big impression on those intellectuals coming from developing countries particularly the state of the culture scene in Eastern Europe There are many mentions of the high quality of theater plays school infrastructures and public libraries and the high level of people's education Zourek goes on to explain how Prague and Moscow were a safe place for those intellectuals to make contacts and meet each other “It wasn't rare that famous intellectuals from Latin America met for the first time in Eastern Europe,” he said it wasn't possible because the authoritarian and anti-communist governments in place simply wouldn't allow it.” played a crucial role for Latin American literature — if it wasn't for the international communist movement it is possible that the fabled 1960s generation of writers wouldn't have been so influential “The works of engaged authors came out in enormous prints [in Czech much higher than the ones in their mother languages and all of this happened behind the Iron Curtain,” he said Pablo Neruda's bust in central Prague. Photo by Kenyh from Wikipedia, used under CC BY-SA  3.0 licence When visiting Prague or other places in Czechoslovakia were treated like VIPs: They would stay in luxury hotels have their expenses paid for and access to bilingual guides and eventually have their works translated into Czech or Slovak Those who were provided writing residencies would stay for long periods of time, notably in the Dobříš castle the siege of the Union of Czechoslovak Writers from the 1940s to the 1990s Some stayed even longer as they gained political asylum Byly jim placeny cestovní výdaje a během pečlivě naplánovaného programu jim byl prezentován značně idealizovaný obraz místního života Hosté na oplátku po návratu šířili pozitivní dojmy prostřednictvím cestopisů Fenomén “politického turismu” byl důležitou součástí sovětské propagandy Jednalo se o dlouhodobě plánovanou strategii jejíž počátky můžeme hledat záhy po říjnové revoluci Důležitou úlohu v ní sehráli právě intelektuálové které Sovětský svaz toužil získat na svou stranu a následně je využít v ideologické bitvě They had their travel expenses paid for and during their very carefully designed travel program they were offered to see only the most ideal aspects of local life the foreign guests would spread their positive impressions via travelogues This phenomenon of “political tourism” was a key component of Soviet propaganda a well planned strategy that started immediately after the 1917 Russian revolution A major role was assigned to intellectuals that the Soviet Union wanted to have on its side to use them later in its ideological struggle with the West Jorge Amado (on the left) and Nicolás Guillén (on the right) on their way to China at a train station in the USSR his descriptions of Eastern Europe are much more nuanced Garcia Marquez describes Eastern Germany in unflattering terms as in this scene where García Márquez enters a restaurant for breakfast: “What people had for breakfast would be the equivalent of a full meal in the rest of [Western] Europe But those people looked destroyed and bitter and ate enormous portions of meat and fried eggs without any joy.” he writes about the taboo topic of Stalin's cult of personality quoting his Russian guide who says: “If Stalin was still alive [he had been dead since 1953] the most rancorous and most egomaniac figure in Russian history.” Gabriel García Márquez (first from left to right) on Moscow's Res Square in August 1957 and in the successor states of Slovakia and the Czech Republic the socialist past is usually regarded as a dark period of human rights violations Such view colors Czech and Slovak historians’ approach to the leftist intellectuals who visited the country during those times who studied in the Czech Republic and in Argentina Během mých univerzitních studií jsem sice zaslechl zmínky že v Československu pobýval Pablo Neruda či Jorge Amado že intenzivní kontakty mezi oběma regiony existovaly již před kubánskou revolucí Roli zde možná hraje určitý despekt k těmto autorům Mnozí na ně nahlížejí jako na idealisty či užitečné idioty kteří svou návštěvou vyjádřili sounáležitost s režimem Celá problematika je ale mnohem komplexnější I heard a few mentions about Pablo Neruda and Jorge Amado spending time in Czechoslovakia but I had no idea that this was such a deep phenomenon that both regions had such contact even before the Cuban Revolution [1959] This is perhaps due to the scorn with which those authors are now held [in the Czech Republic and Slovakia]: many consider them to be idealists or useful idiots who supported regimes that engaged in violence and persecutions The issue is of course much more complex than that While those authors have long been celebrated in their home countries in Latin America, their legacy is only now resurfacing in the Czech historical discourse. García Marquez’ travelogue was translated to Czech for the first time in 2018 (“Devadesát dnů za železnou oponou“) Zourek shares his personal experience to explain why the process of reassessment is so challenging: Krátce po střední škole jsem navštívil Chile kde univerzita byla plná sovětských vlajek v knihkupectví se prodávala díla Marxe a Engelse jak někdo může obdivovat zločinnou ideologii Tento antagonistický postoj obou regionů ke komunismu je primárně dán zcela odlišnou historickou zkušeností že při hodnocení komunismu je třeba se oprostit od rodinné anamnézy která mnohdy brání vidět tento transnacionální fenomén v jeho mnohobarevnosti Tento přístup mi bohužel stále u mnoha českých historiků chybí že politika komunistického Československa ve třetím světě se těší většímu zájmu v zahraničí nežli mezi českými badateli Teprve v posledních letech se to začíná měnit a myslím že to do určité míry souvisí s postupným vystřízlivěním české společnosti z antikomunismu že v následujících letech vznikne řada prací že komunistické Československo dělalo v rozvojovém světe obdivuhodné věci na které se nepodařilo po roce 1989 úspěšně navázat where the university was full of Soviet flags where bookstores would be selling the works of Marx and Engels and couldn't understand how anyone could admire a criminal ideology that limited freedom of expression This antagonistic position of both regions in regard to communism is due mostly to very different historical experience This is why I think that when we assess communism we have to separate ourselves from our family experience and history which often doesn't allow us to see this transnational phenomenon in its full diversity that dissociation is still not happening for a lot of Czech historians I don't think it is surprising that people in the developing world have more interest in the policies of Communist Czechoslovakia than their peers in the Czech Republic It has began to change a bit in the past years and I think this is thanks to the gradual reassessment of the communist period by Czech society I believe that in the coming years we will see a series of works showing that communist Czechoslovakia did remarkable things in the developing world ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders Some are necessary and we can’t switch them off Others help us to provide you with the best possible service We use cookies to personalise content and ads to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic We also share anonymous information about your use of our site with our social media By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service Doosan Bobcat’s new European headquarters in Dobříš Doosan Bobcat EMEA has opened its new European headquarters in Dobříš in the Czech Republic The company’s newly constructed building offers more than 3,370m2 of office space over three floors and will house a staff of 200 the main building has more than 7,000m2 of green space surrounding it and parking facilities which include charging stations for electric vehicles Bobcat said the headquarters would complement the operations of its Dobříš factory “With the opening of the new headquarters in Dobříš we are completing an investment which – thanks to the concentration of development production and management of the company in one place – is of socio-economic importance for the whole region and exceptional within our industry “During Doosan Bobcat’s operations in the Czech Republic we have invested approximately €120 million and more than tripled the number of employees we expect a further recruitment of blue-collar professionals and expert positions in development.” Doosan Bobcat is aiming to produce 20,000 machines at its Dobříš factory in 2019 Bobcat began operating in the Czech Republic in 2001 and in 2007 it built a production plant for loaders and mini-excavators to better serve the EMEA region and global markets This recent expansion of the company’s assets brings its total investment in the country to almost CZK3 billion (€115.5 billion) “Doosan Bobcat’s investment shows that the Czech Republic has a lot to offer to foreign companies – a skilled workforce and a location in the heart of Europe are ideal preconditions for high value-added investments linked to research and development product development and regional management is a great example of our competitiveness.” The compact equipment manufacturer said its Dobříš factory produced a record 17,206 machines in 2018 and that it plans to increase this by 20% in 2019 This would see the European factory make 20,000 machines for the first time The company said the opening of its new European headquarters was also a symbolic crowning of the development of its operational facilities in the country The project developed by Karnet architekti was born from the opportunity of its nostalgic clients to buy an old plot of land in the small town of Dobříš in the hope of creating a space where they can tell stories and cultivate a lasting relationship through the conservation and restoration of an old barn whose history dates back to at least 1912 The project involves building a new home inside the old barn highlighting its materiality and its closest context and introducing and adapting a prefabricated wooden home inside The Karnet architekti studio creates two gardens with different characteristics whose perimeter structure gives rise to the configuration of the inserted wooden structure and also to the way of living inside differentiating the rooms based on privacy or the time of day and the incidence of sunlight on them The house is a sensitive exercise in conservation and intervention that gives rise to an easy-to-assemble construction that arises from within the pre-existing and without compromising the stability of the stone walls protecting them thanks to the eaves of its roof Project description by Karnet architekti Václav and Marie used to visit their grandmother in the small town of Dobříš When the opportunity arose to buy a plot of land with an old stone barn right next to her garden They wanted their children to be able to visit their grandmother through secret passages in the fence They hoped to create a space where they could listen to her stories and nurture a relationship that would remain with them for a lifetime they didn’t want to go down the path of reconstruction They decided to build a new home inside the barn and a prefabricated wooden house was placed inside The layout was adapted to the original masonry and vaulted openings yet remained structurally completely separate The boundary between the interior and exterior has dissolved and today it’s difficult to determine where the inside begins and the outside ends The path outside leads only through the atmosphere of the past and the traces left by previous generations Hay was stored under the handcrafted roof beams and farmers would pass through the arched stone passages with their carts All of this had to make way for the new purpose Stripped back to its brick-and-stone shell the building was approached with a care almost akin to heritage preservation were stabilized with a concrete overlay and which helped preserve and protect them from further deterioration reopened the original ventilation openings the internal vertical bracing wall had to be replaced with a steel structure arching over the passage in the northern part The new foundation slab was placed within the building with enough clearance to avoid compromising the stone walls we knew that the stability of the original walls’ foundations must not be compromised so it was clear that a timber structure would be inserted into the barn A major challenge was solving the roof structure and the generous roof overhangs designed to extend over the top of the stone walls for their protection Thanks to the collaboration with the engineers from Martinice Group everything was resolved without any need for changes to the original concept and the shell of the building was completed in just ten days the contractors designed slanted supports for the rafters of the overhang which proved to be a very elegant solution The perimeter structure was designed to be very slender which allowed us to gain several centimeters of additional space inside The wall assembly is only 333 mm thick and is diffusely open which was essential for natural ventilation which we often use to adjust the positions of light fixtures creating two gardens with different characteristics whether in terms of privacy or the time of day when direct sunlight falls on them whether for relaxation or practical purposes which proved to be crucial for the layout of the inserted timber structure which allowed the use of the upper northern pair of vaulted passages as an open parking space while also providing space for larger equipment to pass through to the other half of the plot is a workshop and an outdoor storage area for seasonal sports equipment The main living area is situated between the second pair of vaulted passages while the opposite terrace welcomes the morning rays there was no need to visually disrupt the stone wall of the barn with a traditional pergola You simply choose the terrace where it’s most comfortable at the moment The morning rays filter through east-facing windows into the children's rooms and the upstairs bedroom which also includes two bathrooms and a study connected to the guest room and a small gym a large terrace was created on the upper floor A key element of the design was working with light To bring as much light as possible into the interior and the building uses large-format windows through which light flows into the living space The common living area is connected to the kitchen and dining room allowing the family to remain in constant contact The ground floor also includes a technical bathroom Karnet architekti Co-author.- Vojtěch Kramář.Interiors.- Filip Rajman.Initial concept design Built-up area.- 240 sqm.Usable floor area.- 287 sqm.Plot size.- 1,001 sqm Project year.- 2020.Completion year.- 2022 Nordlux Orbiform lights pendant.- Nordlux.Rendl Optimus lights rail.- Rendl Lighting.Light bathroom tap.- paffoni.Window blinds.- Almma.Wooden paneling.- Bdoors.Stove.- K&K Poker.Oil base glaze.- Osmo.concrete outdoor entrance stairway.- Prefa Brno.Biophilic tiles color Grey.- Pastorelli.DifuECO Energo perimeter construction.- MARTINICE GROUP Petr Polák. Karnet architekti is an architecture studio based in Příbram founded by Michael Karnet in 2017 after completing his studies at the Faculty of Arts and Architecture of the Technical University of Liberec The studio is composed of a group of architects who are dedicated to designing on all scales from the interior of family homes and apartments to public buildings Archive HOUSING Doosan Bobcat EMEA today announced the opening of its headquarters for the EMEA region (Europe marking a further expansion in the Czech Republic the newly erected building houses the company’s management and other employees and complements the production plant and the training and innovation center where Bobcat machines are created for Europe and the rest of the world Socio-economic importance for the whole region For more information about Bobcat and its products, visit: www.bobcat.com Information about the Doosan Group can be found at: https://www.doosan.com/en A Building Magazine Leading in the field of building news reporting Building Design & Construction Magazine is one of the most respected and referenced sources of building news enquiries@bdcmagazine.co.uk+44 1484 437312 Subscribe our newsletter to get the best stories into your inbox © 2025 BDC Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals The actress has teamed up with a Sonoma County cannabis producer Garden Society to assemble specially selected wearables Despite the national capital’s looking like a stress-filled military fortress cannabis supplier Garden Society of Cloverdale has joined comedian actress and activist Chelsea Handler in assembling a special inauguration-inspired kit to calm things down in American living rooms The “America is Back” kit is filled with goodies such as Garden Society’s spice which are produced with 10 milligrams of the nonhallucinogenic compound cannabidiol per piece and flavored with chili and cinnamon The 270 treats provided are packaged with masks from New York boutique “smoke wear” Sundae School as well as joint “pre-rolls” from Pure Beauty and CANN beverages — both based in Los Angeles “If (cannabis) was legal to the federal government we’d fly by and sprinkle it down on the (U.S.) capital everybody would get along,” Garden Society Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Karli Warner said while referring to the unprecedented political unrest portrayed in an ugly insurrection and attack on the citadel of U.S Warner said her Cloverdale company’s values align with those shared by Handler a longtime cannabis advocate and supporter who has used Garden Society products “We set out to build this company for women We like that Chelsea is someone who lives her authentic self.” As a celebrity who burst on the scene with a best-selling book in 2008 titled “Are you there Chelsea,” she may be better known for an NBC sitcom Time magazine named her one of 100 of “the most influential people in the world” in 2012 The activist-comedian even delved into politics and social unrest a few years ago with “Hello Chelsea,” a Netflix documentary that examined racism and its impact on her life Her current venture aimed at acknowledging next Wednesday’s Presidential Inauguration represents yet another chapter in American politics for Handler at a time of much social unrest and strife 20 — not the least of which is the launch of my new kit ’America is Back.’ I curated a fun collection of uplifting cannabis products from brands who share my values designed to celebrate President(-elect) Biden Vice President(-elect) Harris and the most diverse cabinet in history,” Handler said in a statement “America is Back” kits started selling Thursday at the Sweet Flower dispensary in Los Angeles and The Apothecarium the latter with three San Francisco locations and another in Berkeley The Northern California dispensary company received 150 kits and expects to quickly sell out of its full allotment spokesman Eliot Dobris told the Business Journal The proceeds to the kits selling for $85 will be donated to Cage Free Repair a Los Angeles-based advocacy nonprofit working on reform and assisting those with cannabis criminal records This isn’t the first time The Apothecarium has stepped up to the plate for charitable causes Dobris estimated the company has donated more than $750,000 to local nonprofits since its operation started in 2011 CBRE Art of Space Awards cites new building on company’s campus in Dobris Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters for Doosan Bobcat in Dobris in the Czech Republic has won the ‘Healthiest Office’ Award in the CBRE Art of Space Awards While the award was given in the ‘Healthy Environment and Sustainability’ category Doosan Bobcat was also among the finalists in two other categories – ‘Workspace Design – Industrial’ and ‘The Most Attractive Meeting Point’ The CBRE Art of Space Awards saw 250 candidates competing for victory in six main categories across the entire spectrum of commercial real estate According to a statement from Doosan Bobcat Doosan Bobcat EMEA headquarters building covers an area of ​​1561sqm and offers more than 3370sqm of usable office space for 200 employees including charging stations for electric cars Investments were also made in the construction of green areas covering an area of ​​more than 7000sqm Doosan Bobcat said the headquarters building was built last year on the company’s campus in Dobris and is the centre of operations for the EMEA region as well as housing the Doosan Bobcat management The new headquarters sits alongside the Dobris manufacturing plant and the company’s Training and Innovation Center at the campus agricultural and other Bobcat machines are produced for the EMEA region and the rest of the world The Doosan Bobcat official responsible for construction of the new headquarters said: “Thanks to our win in this key category we can be rightfully proud of one of the healthiest work environments thanks to the concentration of development production and management of the company in one place is of socio-economic importance for the entire region and is exceptional within our field we have invested approximately $134.3m in Doosan Bobcat’s operations in the Czech Republic and the current CBRE Art of Space Award provides more proof that we have set out on the right path.” The experts deciding the winners evaluated the new building as follows: “In its new headquarters in Dobris Doosan Bobcat EMEA has included many materials that are typical of the industries in which it works The ‘Healthy Environment and Sustainability’ category was decided through the assessment of experts from the Czech Green Building Council who judged this part of the competition and performed an audit of the internal environment for the submitted projects executive director of the Czech Green Building Council it can be seen that the number of interiors that work with the first-rate design wow effect is decreasing conceptually designed spaces is increasing “The proof is there in this year’s winner which received the highest rating from the jury for the spatial concept and good air quality The offices were well regulated in terms of CO2 concentrations and air humidity which is still not a matter of course in many designs the jury highlighted the intensive incorporation of greenery into the office concept.” MEConstructionNews.com is the central website of leading construction magazines - Big Project Middle East Middle East Consultant and Truck & Fleet Middle East A one stop shop updated daily with industry news The project was unveiled by Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla Nominations are now open in categories across technology This project marks the Middle East’s inaugural Trump International Hotel & Tower and the.. The gala recognised excellence across 12 categories reflecting the key facets of the architectural.. the contract encompasses 148 luxury villas Home » Products and Services » Factory of ideas: Bobcat’s nerve centre in Dobris PMV Middle East’s wintertime excursion to the complex was replete with grey skies and — although apparently mild for the time of year — what one might politely refer to as ‘sub-GCC’ temperatures with global design responsibility for an array of lines — from the smallest skid-steer loaders (SSLs) to 3t mini-excavators — many of the latest Bobcat models working in the Gulf were most likely conceived and manufactured in the Czech Republic Since the South Korean equipment giant took control the site has undergone significant development The factory and training centre were inaugurated in 2007 Last year saw the addition of the innovation and distribution centres The training and innovation centres oversee the research and development (R&D) of products while the manufacturing plant and distribution centre are responsible for bringing them to market dealers and customers passing through the training centre’s doors but we can also learn from our customers and dealers about the areas in which we need to improve.” VP of engineering at Doosan Infracore’s Compact Business Unit and at the same time — in 2014/2015 — it built this innovation centre in the Czech Republic That’s the vision for the innovation centre — to help build and sustain our technological leadership five models have been launched from this plant and seven have been brought from the manufacturer’s North American production hub The Dobříš facility has the capacity to build 23,800 units a year The site’s distribution centre represents the final stage of the production cycle the campus’ director of operations and total quality management (TQM) comments: “Machines produced in North America and South Korea are imported to the EMEA region through Dobříš We use this facility as a supply base for our dealers: it offers a unique opportunity for us to focus on quality and to prepare units for the field.” which will allow us to really tailor machines based on the requirements that are being fed back from the field,” he notes we want to receive machines and prepare them based on the needs of our customers.” which is a huge amount of money — especially in times when the financial situation is not always easy,” he adds our colleagues in Seoul — Doosan’s senior management team — see things in the same way more than 13,000 units were manufactured at the site in 2015 “The plan over the next five years is to increase this number to more than 20,000 units nearly doubling the production volume at Bobcat Dobříš Campus,” reveals Knoetgen In terms of what actually reaches the Middle East Cuadrado describes the region as a growth market for Bobcat “There are some product lines in the Middle East that are growing [gradually] noting: “If you look at how the mini-excavator has become popular in other global territories it followed the popularity of the backhoe loader.” Cuadrado adds: “The Middle East is a very large backhoe loader market.” he points to the task-specific efficiencies of the tools: “When it comes to productivity and efficiency Knoetgen concludes that the whole EMEA market will play a key role in Doosan Infracore’s longer-term success Bobcat Dobříš Campus focuses on three primary segments: loaders VP of Doosan Infracore’s Compact Business Unit is confident that Bobcat’s mini-excavators can challenge the dominance of backhoe loaders in the Middle East market “I think that the shift from backhoe loaders to mini-excavators will definitely work in our favour,” he notes adding that sales of Bobcat mini-excavators in the Middle East have seen double-digit growth during the past three-to-four years Cuadrado is unwilling to rule out the possibility that Bobcat will enter the backhoe loader and wheel loader segments there are six or seven product lines,” he explains “Any manufacturer that tells you it’s not looking at something they don’t have is lying Everybody is looking at what they don’t have and compact track loaders; but we don’t have backhoe loaders and we don’t have wheel loaders so of course we are considering these lines,” he continues But Cuadrado is keen to emphasise that at present Bobcat has no concrete plans to add new lines to its product portfolio He concludes: “We are nowhere near to telling you when We’ve learned from our past experiences and we don’t want to overreach Bobcat Dobříš Campus’s innovation centre was established in an effort to accelerate the launch of products and services a total of €16.2m ($17.6m) was invested in the 9,400m2 innovation centre — a combination of government incentives and net investment from Doosan The facility is home to a cross-functional team of product management and marketing professionals Bobcat and Doosan will use the facility to validate and test products before they reach the production line one of the facility’s most impressive features is its semi-anechoic (echo-damping)chamber which allows for the analysis of sound intensity The 24m x 20m space boasts a 48,000m3/h aero tunnel a 1/3 octave frequency range of 63Hz to 20Hz and a cylindrical test bench for on-road simulation The chamber’s interior is then covered by 38,000 cornices that all but eliminate echoes The chamber enables indoor noise testing independent of weather conditions and having it ensures cost savings on transport location and the rental of specialised equipment according to the team at Bobcat Dobříš Campus $11mn new premises offer 3,370sqm of space for 200 employees adjacent to its plant and innovation centre near Prague Doosan Bobcat EMEA has announced the opening of its new headquarters for the EMEA region (Europe marking a further expansion in its regional hub A statement from the compact machinery major said that as part of its Dobris campus the newly erected building houses the company’s management and other employees and complements the adjacent production plant and the training and innovation centre The new three-storey headquarters building covers a surface area of 1,561sqm and will offer more than 3,370sqm of office space for 200 employees Investments were also made to create more than 7,000sqm of green areas around the building Bobcat said that this year alone its investments in the Dobris campus will reach over $22m Last year the company’s revenue for the EMEA region amounted to $843.8m with the Dobris factory producing a record 17,206 machines the company plans to increase production by 20% and break through the barrier of 20,000 machines for the first time The statement added that Bobcat’s has become synonymous with skid steer loaders in most of the world in its 60-year history and has been operating in the Czech Republic since 2001 A major development came in 2007 with the construction of a new production plant for loaders and mini-excavators and the takeover by the global Doosan Group In addition to the new production capacities Doosan Bobcat has also built an extensive training centre and an innovation centre The development of the entire campus is symbolically crowned by the opening of the company’s EMEA headquarters said: “With the opening of the new headquarters in Dobris During Doosan Bobcat’s operations in the Czech Republic Even a small action can make an enormous difference when millions of people do it All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain The so-called ozone layer is located between 10 and 50 km above the Earth's surface and contains approximately 90 per cent of all atmospheric ozone Under undisturbed conditions stratospheric ozone is formed as the result of a photochemical equilibrium involving oxygen molecules The ozone layer protects life on the Earth's surface since ozone is the only efficient absorbent of the ultraviolet-B radiation (wavelengths 280 to 310 nm) from the sun UV-B radiation is harmful to organisms in many ways (see Chapter 16) The abundance of ozone is often measured through its total amount in an atmospheric column going from the ground to the top of the atmosphere Ground-based and satellite observations have shown a decrease of total column ozone in winter in the northern hemisphere (an average depletion of the global ozone layer of 3 per cent in the period 1979­91 but with large latitudinal and seasonal differences) the decline of the ozone column is about 6 to 7 per cent during the last decade The decline is strongest in winter and early spring when there is relatively little UV-B (Table 28.1) evidence of significant decreases in spring and summer in both the northern and southern hemispheres at middle and high latitudes These downward trends were larger during the 1980s than the 1970s (see Figure 28.1) Recent evaluations show that seasonal averages of total ozone over Europe were 10 per cent lower than long-term averages in winter 1991/92 and 13 per cent lower in winter 1992/93 (Bojkov et al The 'ozone hole' observed above Antarctica since the end of the 1970s is an extreme case of ozone layer depletion with column reduction of about 55 per cent in October (ie southern hemisphere spring) 1987 and 1989­93 At the 13 to 21 km level (lower stratosphere) There is great concern that substantial ozone decline could be produced in the northern high latitude regions where the densely populated regions of Eurasia and North America could be under direct risk Continuous stratospheric ozone depletion trends and the possible occurrence of an Arctic ozone hole Europe's responsibility is emphasised by the fact that Europe contributes approximately one third of the global annual emissions of ozone-depleting substances (see Chapters 4 and 14) The issue of stratospheric ozone depletion has stimulated interest and dialogue among the scientific community Scientific concern was already expressed in 1974 but effects stronger than predicted were observed in 1985 presenting the public with the alarming image of a hole in the sky The first concrete international measures aimed at limiting ozone depletion were agreed in 1985 and 1987 Two important questions now are whether the agreed measures are sufficient for the atmosphere to reach its 'pre-hole' conditions and what is the extent of any irreversible damage that has occurred to humans and ecosystems on Earth For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/92-826-5409-5/page028new.html or scan the QR code Continuous production starts on new L85 model launched during ‘Next is Now’ event in October as company reveals detailed specs and features for the machine The first Bobcat compact wheeled loader has rolled off the assembly line at the company’s plant in Dobris in the Czech Republic the headquarters of its Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region The company announced that with the first completed machines now ready the L85 compact wheeled loader model is now in full production at the facility The model was unveiled in October 2020 as part of Bobcat’s revolutionary ‘Next is Now’ launch event and is the company’s very first compact wheeled loader model Bobcat has also confirmed full details and features of the L85 model and said that the first machine is heading to the Bobcat Institute on the Dobris campus where it will be used to train the company’s dealers and customers Bobcat said that in order to meet demand for its new compact wheeled loaders an additional fourth production line has been built at its Dobris plant with a capacity of around 1000 machines per year The overall new investment involved was over a million Euros said: “A product of the Bobcat Innovation Center on our Dobris campus the L85 has been designed to set a new market-leading performance benchmark in this segment of the market The L85 is built with proven components including the engine electronics and hydraulics sourced either from Bobcat or our prestigious Tier 1 suppliers Many components are already widely used in our market-leading compact loaders and the L85 undergoes the same final assembly and test procedures as these products.” high performance is assured by “the combination of the powerful Bobcat engine and the hydraulics… complemented by the high stability push and pull forces and a comprehensive selection of Bobcat attachments” Combined with high operator comfort and ease of use the L85 compact wheel loader is ideal for a multitude of tasks in a wide range of industries pointing out that the L85 can be used in construction There are also multiple Bobcat loader attachments already approved for use on the L85 with more to be announced in the near future The current portfolio includes a general-purpose bucket The L85 is equipped as standard with a Power Quick-Tach system compatible with widely used industry standard couplers The L85 can also be fitted with a high flow hydraulics option which is required for the use of some attachments Other comfort and performance features available on the new model include automatic ride control A memorial plaque to Czech resistance fighter Josef Balabán a member of the legendary anti-Nazi group the Three Kings was unveiled in his home town Dobříš on Friday Gripen fighter planes piloted by members of the Czech air forces took part in the event which was held on the anniversary of Balabán's birth in 1894 The ceremonial unveiling of the plaque was organized with the support of the Czech Defense Ministry and the Colloredo-Mansfeld aristocratic family which takes care of the surrounding forests The memorial plaque was erected between the buildings of Hájovna Obora Dobříš Mayor Pavel Svoboda said one of the townspeople interested in history pointed out that Balabán was born in their town "All of us liked this idea very much," Svoboda said adding that many people did not know that Balabán had been born in Dobříš Balabán (1894-1941) was a member of the Czechoslovak legions during the first World War and when he returned to the newly established Czechoslovakia he joined its army he worked with the Defense of the Nation resistance group Balabán formed the Three Kings group that conducted sabotage operations and gathered intelligence about developments in the Nazi-controlled country They handed the information to the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London Their most famous sabotage operations were bomb explosions in Germany where Heinrich Himmler was nearly killed in February 1941 Although the Nazis managed to infiltrate and later liquidate the non-communist Czech resistance the Three Kings escaped them because of their strict rules of conspiracy But Nazi forces succeeded in seriously wounding Balabán in a gunfight and arresting him in April Balabán was elevated to the rank of brigadier general in 1947 also after the Nazis injured him in a gunfight Morávek was killed in a shootout in Prague in March Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. Why not enjoy it with our daily newsletter? News from Czechia, curated insights, and inspiring stories in English. XFASTINDEX The Innovation Center is the R&D hub of an integrated site at Dobris that includes manufacturing, sourcing and training at the same location.  Doosan Bobcat believes that the ability to design test and manufacture Bobcat machines locally is one of the company’s competitive advantages in the Europe The new investments are intended to boost these advantages and involve every part of the operations in the Innovation Center from prototype design and assembly to performance and durability testing.  The facility has more than 8,000 m2 of floor space for prototyping and testing and 1,400 m2 of offices the Bobcat Innovation Center has brought in new a CNC horizontal boring machine The CNC machines have been installed to support faster prototype builds giving Bobcat full control of all processes without the involvement of third parties The dynamometer measures engine or powertrain system loadings in laboratory conditions (pictured below) fuel consumption and so on) is tested in a set ambient temperature Testing on the dynamometer is mandatory for new engine implementation and for application approval on the supplier side A 300 kW dynamometer with six electric generators is now installed in the Innovation Center Bobcat can test and optimise cooling performance in the ‘hot’ climate-controlled chamber at temperatures up to 55 °C.  Advanced functions of the dynamometer allow replication and simulation of real duty cycles in a laboratory environment based on data from the field 6 days Suffolk contractor on the rise with growing plant fleet 6 days Volvo describes its new wheeled loaders as “a significant leap forward in technology and design”. 17 Apr Komatsu has unveiled what it calls ‘the most technologically advanced excavators ever’. 10 Apr Finning has completed a comprehensive remanufacture and rebuild of a Cat 320E excavator for Kevin Woods Plant Hire, giving the machine a second life. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. © 2025 The Construction Index [Company No Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker And all this year’s production is already sold out The first E10e off the line – serial number B4KL11001 – was completed at 1:08 pm on 11th July 2019 It is headed to the Netherlands to the Apeldoorn-based Bobcat dealer Inter-Techno where it will be used as a demo machine and is available for hire from Inter-Techno’s partner company Doosan Bobcat has chosen the Dobris factory to produce the E10e for all markets worldwide Austria and Norway are the countries selected for first shipments is built on the same platform and produced on the same production line as the diesel-powered E08 and E10z mini-excavators This line currently has capacity to make 2,000 machines a year Jarry Fiser, mini-excavator product line director at Doosan Bobcat EMEA says: “We are very pleased that actual demand is higher than our original expectations and production capacities We prioritised Bobcat dealers in the Netherlands These countries have very positive public acceptance of alternative power sources.” He adds: “The E10e is just the start of our journey in further expanding our portfolio in alternative power sources all the components in the power train are made to measure and we are still adjusting the processes with our suppliers so that we can increase the production volumes when needed The 2019 production capacity is already sold out and we are accepting orders for delivery in 2020.” The E10e has a lithium-ion battery pack that runs for up to four hours on one charge By using an optional external 400V supercharger it can be recharged to 80% of its capacity in less than two hours In this way it can be made to serve a full working day with normal work breaks The battery can also be fully recharged overnight by using the on-board charger from a standard 230V grid