Hungarian automotive industry: week 43 2017 edition
Digital production technology, production launch of DriveGuard tyres are the result of Bridgestone’s latest development project in Tatabánya. Let´s recap what the 43rd week this year brought in Hungary´s automotive sector.
Manufacturers
A unique trial went down last week at Audi Hungaria: Alpine skier Edit Miklós tested her skiing equipment at the company’s state-of-the-art wind tunnel.
The purpose of the test was reducing air resistance at a maximum wind speed of 90 km/h by optimising the skier’s posture. The 250sqm wind tunnel facility is otherwise used for the aeroacoustic testing of Audi models manufactured at the car maker’s Győr plant.
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Suppliers
Bridgestone has completed its development programme, and inaugurated its expanded plant in Tatabánya. The world’s largest tyre manufacturer’s Hungarian subsidiary has doubled its production area, increased its annual production capacity from 1.8 million to 3.8 million tyres and tripled its headcount with a HUF 85 billion investment project.
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Csabacast Könnyűfémöntöde Kft. has inaugurated its latest production base in Apc with a HUF 5.6 billion investment: doubling the existing production capacity will allow the company to significantly increase revenues and create 130 jobs.
Production challenges resulting from labour shortage are a common issue for automotive companies, a difficulty that goes hand in hand with the problem of accommodation. Where should workers live? What’s the largest area that can still be covered by an employee bus service? In the current labour market situation, local companies must face the challenge of accommodating their employees, found with great difficulty.
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Festo has been chosen as a preferred supplier by the Bosch Group in the segment of standardised pneumatic equipment for the third time. The acknowledgement recognises excellence in innovation, quality and reliability.
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Service providers
The government will be voting on a potential tax benefit scheme for businesses conducting development projects in the Central Hungarian region.
The Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) held a supplier forum at trade fair Automotive Hungary to present potential suppliers with the requirements of manufacturers such as Suzuki, VW AG, Infineon and Videoton.
Slovakia is luring Hungarian workforce with an increased minimum wage. The Slovakian premier has signed a decree on increasing minimum wage in the country by 10.34 percent to €435. The decision came after unsuccessful negotiations between employers and employees.
Iron-Tech Zrt., a major domestic and international player in the field of metalworking and parts manufacturing, is continuously engaged in the expansion of its machine park. Rapidly growing order volumes require constant innovation, and the company has found a great partner in machine distributor GE-CO Hungary Kft.
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The two companies’ relationship was evaluated by Tibor Bocskor of Iron-Tech and Rieth Thomas, representing the distributor of the largest Korean, Japanese, American and Turkish manufacturers of metalworking machinery.
Production line
The iconic 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine is the heart of the Audi TT RS and the Audi RS 3 Saloon. Both 400bhp models are manufactured exclusively at Győr-based Audi Hungaria, which supplies the entire international market with their cars.
Education
A consortium comprising the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, ELTE University, University of Pannonia and Széchenyi István University has won a HUF 3.2 billion European Union support for the research of autonomous vehicle systems in connection with the new test track in Zalaegerszeg, László Palkovics, state secretary for education, announced last week.
