Hungarian automotive industry: week 13 2018 edition
Two Asian battery manufacturers expand their Hungarian presence: production has started in Monor, while Miskolc is gearing up to follow. Let’s recap what last week brought in Hungary’s automotive sector.
Suppliers
South Korean Shinheung Sec has started production at its plant in Monor, where the company is now manufacturing battery parts for electric vehicles.
Békéscsaba-based Csaba Metál, a supplier of Jaguar, has purchased robots and other equipment with a HUF 5.7 million investment.
Japan-based GS Yuasa will build its first European plant at Miskolc South Business Park. The company will manufacture lithium batteries in Miskolc, to be fitted into electric and hybrid vehicles.
Swiss-based Stadler has been given a building permit for its latest investment in Szolnok, a project which will double the company’s bogie manufacturing capacities.
Modine has inaugurated its new heating systems manufacturing plant in Mezőkövesd.
In 2017, Eger-based Aventics manufactured 4.4 million finished products, chiefly fuelled by orders in connection with the automation, foodstuff, packaging, railway and public transportation industries.
Interviews
The IATF 16949 changeover is reaching its last stages. We interviewed András Viktor Szabó, CEO of engineering firm QFD Mérnöki Tanácsadó Iroda, about its challenges and deadlines.
Julius-Globe Kft. is a small business from the Győr area, where it has been a silent player in the automotive industry for 20 years now. Although they seldom make the news, they have participated in a number of large-scale projects. Among other things, the Győrújbarát-based company have taken an active role in the development of safety systems used in oil rigs. We interviewed Julius-Globe CEO Gyula Rácz.
Hungarian success
Hungarian developers are participating in the development of an automatic alert system that will potentially reduce the number of fatalities resulting from car accidents.
The latest facility completed at the Zalaegerszeg test track will house a laboratory for the testing of electric and autonomous vehicles with testing expected to commence in autumn this year. A new hospitality building, expected to be inaugurated later this year, is also under construction, while the track itself will be ready for a public presentation already in May.
Education
The 11th International Aventics Pneumobil Race will line up competitors from 22 universities from 9 countries at the competition held in Érsekkert, Eger.
Every year since 2006, Széchenyi István University has been host for the national competition of mechanical engineer students: this year’s four-day event will begin on April 8th. Companies are invited to organise realistic challenges from the industry, while the students compete to find solutions for the complex tasks.
The Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemét and Neumann János University have recently held an engineer competition. The winning team designed an emergency switch for a piece of lifting equipment. Their solution is already used on the production floor.
The formula team of BME closed its design phase of its latest single-seater formula car on February 15th to begin construction. The team of engineer students are currently stuck, they are in need of the support of more automotive companies.
Labour market
More than 2,000 micro, small and medium-sized businesses have been selected as winners in Ginop’s call for tenders. These enterprises will carry out development projects at a combined value of HUF 122.6 billion.
8-12,000 retired people have re-entered the labour market, while another 30,000 could be capable of employment.
