AGC’s new production unit inaugurated in Tatabánya
Japan-based automotive glass manufacturer AGC Glass Hungary inaugurated their newest production unit in Tatabánya. The investment, valued at € 10 million, will create 140 new jobs by the end of the year.
At the inauguration, factory director Zoltán Papp said that almost HUF 2 billion was spent on capacity expansion. As a result, the so-called "eight-second" project was launched, which means that now 2.3 million sidelite windows will be produced annually on the production line involved in the development.
As a result of the investment, an automotive window is now made in under eight seconds on the new production line instead of the previous 12.
The new production line will feature AVO (added-value operation), which means that the automotive windows produced at the plant will be fitted with various components which require no further operation when fitted in the vehicles at OEM plants. Test production is currently under way, serial production is expected to start during the summer.
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| Factory director Zoltán Papp at the inauguration |
At the inauguration, Hungarian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó said that there are 712 automotive industry enterprises in Hungary employing over 115 thousand people and generating a production value of over HUF 18bln (€ 60 million), which accounts for 20 percent of the total production industry. 93 percent of automotive industry products are exported and automotive industry exports make up 18 percent of total Hungarian exports.
Szijjártó pointed out in connection with AGC that the plant boast a high-quality operation, which is why it is not surprising that the Hungarian plant is a market leading facility in the production of sidelite windows within the group's factories, including the plants in the USA and Asia. He added that looking at the global economy, especially taking into account the crisis in Asia, we can see why Hungary is able to perform better and become a production centre in Europe.
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| State Secretary Péter Szijjártó (left) and AGC Europe production director Guy Lecocq (right) cutting the ribbon at the inauguration ceremony |
The State Secretary added that Japanese firms had invested € 3.5bn in Hungary so far, employ 25 thousand people and contribute significantly to the performance of the Hungarian economy, reported the Prime Minister's Office.
Szijjártó announced that the Government will be investing HUF 50bln (€ 158m) in building 70 training workshops across the country in the interests of reinforcing the vocational training system. He also said that the Government is planning to double the R+D fund to 700 bln HUF (€2.2 bln) within the next EU financial period.
AGC will employ a total of 730 people by the end of the year. In 2012, it achieved HUF 22bln in turnover and manufactured 14.7 million automotive windows in 2013. The factory in Tatabánya is the company's third largest plant with regard to the number of employees and their only greenfield investment, reported the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office.
Japan-based AGC founded the Hungarian subsidiary AGC Glass Hungary Kft. ten years ago at Tatabánya-Környe Business Park. In 2005, the plant won the largest greenfield project award by the Hungarian Ministry of Economy and Transport. In 2010, AGC won a tender to supply Mercedes with sidelite and backlite windows. According to the contract signed with the German car maker, AGC will supply windows for 26 various models until 2021.
The Prime Minister's Office contributed to this article
