Hungarian automotive industry: week 37 2018 edition
Development, interviews and labour shortage. Let’s recap what week 37 brought in Hungary’s automotive sector.
In the end, Land Rover did not launch production at its new plant in Nitra on schedule.
The company previously announced it would start production in early-September, but did not keep to the original plan. The company already has at least 1,500 employees, but it seems not enough for a production launch.
The 1 millionth passenger car has rolled off the production line at the Kecskemét-based Mercedes plant.
“Our most important innovation is that we have opened our PLC technology to the world of IoT, which means our products and equipment are now capable of direct data sharing. With machines, the design process is helped by digital twins, allowing data display on smart devices.
"Software development will increasingly move towards unique, tailored production. We have introduced our IoT Gateway family for our brownfield machinery, which allows any machine or device to be Industry 4.0 compatible and used as a PLC or industrial PC,” Sándor Volosinovszki, head of sales at Bosch Rexroth Kft., told us.
Of all Hungarian OEMs, the Suzuki plant in Esztergom is the only facility that is not connected to the country’s motorway network.
Of course, the Opel plant in Szentgotthárd is also in a similar situation, although the 2+2-lane Rd 8 still has higher traffic flow abilities than Rd 10, connecting Esztergom and Budapest. Last week we looked into how soon it is expected for Esztergom to join the domestic motorway network.
Gémtech Kft., a Napkor-based company engaged in machine production and the machine cutting of bridge components, alternator and turbine frames and steel structures, has launched a HUF 1 billion capacity-expanding investment project.
A consortium led by Salgótarján-based Salgglas Zrt. is developing a new smart windscreen technology with a HUF 1.5 billion investment.
Japan-based Bridgestone has announced to launch a HUF 9.2 billion investment in Tatabánya, building a 10,000sqm warehouse and increasing tyre manufacturing capacities to 7.2 million tyres annually by 2020.
Cylinder head and engine block manufacturer Qualitative Production has inaugurated a 6,000sqm production unit in Győr.
Waberer’s has successfully completed a 2-month test period for LNG-driven tractors, and will expand its fleet.
The severe labour shortage in Hungary is one of the main causes of a demographic downturn that has resulted in a drop of 100,000 students in secondary education compared to five years ago, comprising 14,000 students “missing” from non-vocational education and 86,000 students from vocational training.
The 2018/2019 academic year saw the launch of the fourth mechanical engineering course in dual education system at Savaria University Centre on September 10th.
“According to my favourite definition, logistics is a philosophy and method that aims at the comprehensive organisation, management and evaluation of supply processes in order to achieve targets in economy and the society.
"There are people who put the emphasis on philosophy, while others stress the importance of methods, which could result in different attitudes in training and even corporate practices. Although the fundamental principles do not change significantly, the unending development of computer science continues to approximate methods, which could have an impact on the philosophy itself,” Ákos Szirányi, transport engineer and an expert in transport and logistics, says.
Industrial robot sales has grown significantly worldwide, with a total of 380,550 units sold (+29 percent). For instance, IGM has sold robots to companies where labour shortage is becoming a significant problem.
There are no businesses in Hungary where labour shortage would not be a challenge. Employers are having a difficult time finding well trained and less qualified workforce alike, whereas the transformation of production could potentially be capable of meeting current requirements should they found a way to increase efficiency.
Incorporating 13 years of experience in production management, Digitop Kft.’s OEEm system is helping companies achieve this goal.
