Hungarian automotive industry: week 5 2018 edition

Buses and trucks

Last week, Kravtex-Kühne delivered 100 new buses in Hungary: the vehicle frames, metal components are manufactured at the group’s Mosonmagyaróvár plant, while assembly is performed in Győr. The running gears, windows and plastic panels are also made in Hungary.

Waberer’s has announced plans to expand and modernise its fleet with a HUF 19 billion investment. 700 tractive units from DAF and Volvo and 348 trailers from Kögel and Schmitz will be delivered to the company by October 2018.

Career

Péter Mándli’s career could be a great example for every engineer student: He began work at running gear systems manufacturer BPW Hungária 18 years ago, after only a few years of experience in engineering. In addition to his career, we interviewed the company’s new CEO about why the German parent keeps appointing a Hungarian executive at its Szombathely-based subsidiary.

Suppliers

To expand its existing production equipment of 24 injection moulding machines and 30, mostly outdated, machine presses, Momert Zrt. will purchase advanced machinery as part of a development project to be carried out in 2018 and 2019. In addition, the company will refurbish its product hall and install a 50kW solar cell system.

Momert Zrt. will also carry out extensive IT development in order to support increased order volumes on parts and finished products with a more efficient corporate management system.

Labour market

The BME Technology Centre was created to enable SMEs to gain an insight into digitalisation and automation. However, let’s not forget about the students, who will need vastly different skills and know-how from before. Last week, we interviewed Dr. Charaf Hassan, head of the Department of Automation and Applied Informatics of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

A scholarship programme will be launched in Balassagyarmat, Nógrád County, to promote professions in demand. The programme will include the training of mechanical engineers.

Óbuda University will launch an IT engineering course in September at Salgótarján Training and Research Centre.

In the following weeks, a total allocation of HUF 50 billion will be available for training programmes under the scope of the Economy Development and Innovation Operational Programme (GINOP). A significant support will be available for the skills and competence development of employees.

Hungary’s unemployment rate has decreased by 700,000 people since 2010, with the majority, 574,000, finding work in the private sector.

Artificial intelligence

Continental will open its new artificial intelligence centre in Budapest in May 2018. The new development hub will focus on machine learning, specifically on real-time software applications that are critical in vehicle safety.

There will be possibilities to test self-driving cars and high-speed vehicles in real-world conditions outside of the Zalaegerszeg test track. Austria and Slovenia have already shown interest in cross-border testing activities.

Production line

Continental’s Budapest plant opened its gates to small businesses and potential suppliers with a new programme. Participants can gain an insight into robot-assisted production and machine-to-machine communication. At the end of the programme, the SMEs will receive a classification that will facilitate their participation in development projects. CEO Dr. Róbert Keszte told us about the details.

In 2016, the company used 5,400 industrial robots, 13 percent more than the year before. There are 57 robots for every 10,000 Hungarian workers.

According to László Parragh, chairman of the Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (MKIK), Hungarian SMEs are lagging behind when it comes to digitalisation, they are unaware of its contents, outcomes and the fact that it is impossible to survive as a supplier without it.