Hungarian automotive industry: week 18
Audi Hungaria to hire more women in manufacturing, VW-boss Winterkorn cancels talk in Budapest, more electric charging stations promised and GKI deems Hungary economic policy a failure.
Manufacturers
Last week, we interviewed Kinga Németh, head of legal advice central functions at Audi Hungaria, who told us about the auto maker's plans to hire more women in manufacturing to offset the imbalance between administrative and technical jobs.
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| Audi Hungaria to hire more women in manufacturing |
Last week, we reported on the crisis in the management of Volkswagen AG. It was revealed that Ferdinand Piech's resignation came after a pressure from trade unions.
The crisis also concerns Hungary, as Martin Winterkorn, clearly due to clash for VW's chairman position, has cancelled his yearly lecture at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
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| Prof. Martin Winterkorn cancels talk at Hungarian university |
Suppliers
Automotive safety systems manufacturer Hirtenberger Automotive Safety Hungary has created 50 new jobs in Pápa, Hungary, with a HUF 1.4 billion investment.
Service providers
We interviewed the Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK) about the state of the vehicles in the Budapest fleet and their plans to refresh public transportation in the capital.
150 electric charging stations will be built in Hungary by the end of the year, said Balázs Bottyán, director of Jedlik Ányos Cluster (JÁK), an initiative promoting electric mobility.
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| Hirtenberger hands over new investment in Pápa |
Railway transport firm Metrans Danubia Kft. has announced plans to build a new logistics centre and warehouse in Csepel, Hungary, creating 200 new jobs in the first phase of the investment.
National Mobile Payment Plc. is working on a new, electronic payment system to develop the frameworks of a standardized community transport system, to be implemented nationwide.
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| NMP to develop standardized community transport system in Hungary |
Economy
In spite of temporal and occasional successes, Hungary's so-called "unorthodox" economic policy has failed, András Vértes, president of GKI Gazdaságkutató Zrt., said at an economy conference last week.
Industrial producer prices decreased by 2.4 percent in March compared to the same period in the previous year. Domestic prices decreased by 3.4 percent, while export sales prices declined by 1.8 percent, reported the Central Statistical Office (KSH).
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| HUF vs. EUR week 18. Source: portfolio.hu |
The forint traded near the 300-barrier during the week, but after a period of strengthening mid-week it stopped at 303 against the euro on Friday afternoon.
