Hungarian automotive industry: week 45 2017 edition
The changes announced by Opel’s new owner, the French PSA Group, will also affect the car maker’s Szentgotthárd plant: according to the owner, the company will focus on electrification and expansion beyond Europe.
Manufacturers
Months after a period of uncertainty following the buy-up of Opel, the owner PSA has finally announced specific plans for the car maker: according to PSA, they will focus on electrification and, for the first time in their history, expand beyond Europe.
Suppliers
Even the largest companies seek expert partnerships when it comes to boosting their rate of development. Google has worked together with a planning and engineering firm to launch Google Chromecast™, a system enabling data transmission from mobile devices to televisions. Nike has collaborated with a leading industrial firm to develop a tailor-made serial production programme. Or we could mention Lenovo, who strived to offer shorter delivery times and higher flexibility to its customers in Western Europe. All the companies above have decided to partner up with Hungarian-owned Flex Group.
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Hankook Tire Manufacturing reported on decreasing profits in Q3 2017 due to increasing raw material prices. The South Korean tyre manufacturer announced last Monday that in the quarter ending on November 30, it registered a net profit of ₩184.88 million ($166 million), representing a 11 percent drop.
On the other hand, the company’s revenues increased by 10 percent to ₩1,824 billion. The decrease in profits can be attributed to the increasing prices of synthetic and raw rubber.
Service providers
Property developer Infogroup is building a new logistics centre at Tiszaújváros Industry Park. The 17,000sqm base will be rented and used by U.S.-owned Jabil Circuit Magyarország Kft., a manufacturer of electrotechnical products.
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Industry 4.0 has a central role in economic development and boosting the quality of employment. For this reason, the Hungarian Ministry for National Economy (NGM) has launched a programme called Industry 4.0 Sample Factory, the first major event of which will the be the Night of Modern Factories.
International courier DHL Express has inaugurated a new logistics base at Budapest Airport Business Park. A €25 million greenfield investment allowed the company to build a 6,000sqm warehouse, a 2,400sqm office facility and a working area of 4,500sqm.
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More than 70 exhibitors, over 100 presentations on human relations – this is the 14th Personal Hungary. A place to showcase international trends and for the most important players to meet. Present and future will meet at Millenáris on 15th and 16th of November. HR professionals can experience and discuss their field’s latest developments and changes.
The Hungarian government is committed to refurbishing all vocational establishments and training workshops in Hungary in accordance with modern requirements, the chairman of the Parliament’s economic committee said in Tatabánya at the opening ceremony of a job fair in Komárom-Esztergom County.
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Trend
Organisers are planning to deploy autonomous taxis to transport athletes between venues at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics László Urbán, deputy chief executive officer of Magyar Suzuki Corporation, told us about how the Japanese car maker is planning to contribute.
BMW AG, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and VW AG, including Audi and Porsche, have announced to establish a joint venture under the name IONITY to build a high-performance charging network for EVs that will cover the entire European continent.
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The NEXT-E consortium and the European Union’s Innovation and Networks Executive Agency have agreed to install 252 fast and ultrafast EV charging stations in Tallin, Estonia, on the Day of Digital Mobility, Mol Nyrt. announced last week.
Analyses
While the number of electric cars on Hungary’s roads has increased drastically in the recent period, the expansion rate of the Hungarian charging infrastructure is lagging behind.
