Magyar Suzuki Corp. celebrates 25th anniversary
Suzuki owner Osamu Suzuki, Autókonszern Rt. CEO István Lepsényi and deputy first minister Péter Medgyessy signed the founding documents of the Japanese car maker´s Hungarian joint venture car plant 25 years ago, on 13 January 1990.
Among others, Suzuki also formed partnerships with U.S.-based General Motors, Austrian Steyr-Daimler Puch and Indian Maruti, while the Japanese car maker's first European production site was opened in Spain n 1980.
Following years of negotiating, on 14 April 1991, Suzuki concluded a HUF 5.5 billion joint venture agreement with the Hungarian government to manufacture passenger cars during the company's European expansion.
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| The first Suzuki Swift manufactured in Esztergom on 5 October 1992 |
Suzuki representatives found Esztergom a perfect spot; the 35,000-square-metre, modern production hall was designed by László Csaba and built by Hungarian contractors.
The production hall houses the entire manufacturing process from pressing body panels, welding and painting to complete assembly. The opening ceremony of the Esztergom plant was held on 7 May 1993.
Test production was launched a few months after the inauguration, which was followed by the mass production of the 1.0- and 1.3-litre Suzuki Swift. In 1994, the company also started exporting cars; the first customers were China, Italy and the Netherlands.
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The 100,000th Hungarian-made Swift rolled off the production line in 1996, while in 2000 the mass production of the Wagon R+ was launched. The Suzuki Ignis was introduced in 2003 at the Esztergom plant, joined by the diesel Wagon R+ and Ignis models in the following year.
The new-generation Swift was launched in February 2005, while in 2006 the plant started the serial production of the SX4 family crossover. In the same year, Suzuki celebrated the 1 millionth car from Esztergom. The Splash was introduced in 2008. The Esztergom plant is currently manufacturing the second-generation model.
In 2012, on the 20th anniversary of production at the Esztergom plant, Magyar Suzuki concluded a strategic partnership agreement with the Hungarian government. The partnership provided the framework for Magyar Suzuki's development in production technology and development activities in order to maintain its competitiveness in the European markets.
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The SX4 S-Cross was introduced in 2013, while on 9 July 2014, the 2.5 millionth Suzuki rolled off the production line in Esztergom, a third-generation Swift GL.
In 2013, Magyar Suzuki Zrt. manufactured 161,106 vehicles in Esztergom, up 3.2 percent from the previous year. Last year the company sold 157,755 cars, registering a EUR 1,567 million turnover. In addition to the 3,000 people working at the plant, Magyar Suzuki provides a livelihood for 10,000 people through its vast supplier network.
