Hungarian automotive industry: week 48 2017 edition
PSA to bring production capacities to Hungary, South Korean SK Innovation to build battery plant in Komárom, Lear shuts down production of seat covers in Hungary. Let’s recap what the 48th week this year brought in Hungary’s automotive sector.
Manufacturers
It was revealed last week by autonews.com that PSA has the intention to relocate the annual production capacity of 200,000 petrol engines it originally planned to add by expanding its plant in Trnava, Slovakia, to one of Opel’s existing plants in Eastern Europe.
The additional orders could be taken up by Szentgotthárd or the somewhat smaller Opel plant in Gliwice, Poland.
In Hungary, Suzuki is mostly known for their cars manufactured in Esztergom, however, the company has now launched the sales of boat engines in the country, adding to their well known portfolio of cars and motorbikes.
Students of the first university course in Hungary training industrial foremen have successfully graduated in Kecskemét. This stop-gap programme has created a previously unknown form of training in Hungary.
Its curriculum was assembled by professionals of the Hungarian-German Chamber of Commerce on the basis of the German model to meet the requirements of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemtét.
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Suppliers
Linamar Hungary applies unique solutions for the processing of differential systems. The company, based in Békés County and engaged in precision machining and metalworking, has developed a technology that allows more flexible and cost-effective production.
South Korean-owned SK Innovation Zrt. is planning to build a plant on a 42-hectare area at Komárom Business Park to manufacture lithium batteries for electric cars.
According to the project's environmental documentation, the company will start construction works in February 2018, with test production planned for the summer of 2019 and serial production starting in January 2020.
Schäfer-Oesterle Kft., a manufacturer of laminated automotive leather products, will expand its existing plant in Hungary with a 1,200sqm production hall, it was revealed last week.
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Lear Corporation Hungary Kft.’s Mór plant officially shut down production on November 30th. The plant had been in operation for more than 24 years.
Service providers
Tool designers, lathe operators, designers, operators, galvanisers wanted in Zalaegerszeg and its region. Automotive positions such as these are constantly adverstised on local recruitment pages.
We interviewed Dr. Tibor Vadvári, deputy mayor of Zalaegerszeg, about what measures the town is taking to make itself more attractive to the automotive industry, and how they are trying to convince the working-age population to stay.
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| Dr. Tibor Vadvári, deputy mayor of Zalaegerszeg |
In September, Hungary's export volume in euro terms grew by 5.6 percent, while imports rose by 6.7 percent year-on-year. The surplus on the trade balance was €937 million, a 28 million drop from September 2016, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reported last week.
Education
Energotest, a consortium between the University of Szeged and engineering firm Contireg Mérnökiroda, has won a HUF 713.2 million grant for measuring car emission levels.
TechTogether
The 11th International Aventics Pneumobil Race will line up 50 compressed-air driven vehicles designed and built by engineer students.
Trend
3D printing can be useful in all areas of industry involving product development, manufacturing or small-series production. Additive manufacturing was first introduced in Hungary in 1998 by Varinex.
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Production line
The weight of robotics in automotive innovation is shown by Fanuc Hungary Kft.’s latest investment in Hungary: the company will build a new, 3,500sqm site in Törökbálint. We interviewed marketing specialist Attila Bagdi about the details of the project.
Although Zalaegerszeg is not necessarily one of the key automotive zones in Hungary, automotive companies are on the rise in the West Hungarian town.
A good example is engineering firm Mould Tech Mérnöki Iroda, a supplier of renowned international companies, such as Continntal, Valeo and Magna Steyr. Last week, we interviewed owner and CEO Péter Egyed.
