Hungarian automotive industry: week 47

Manufacturers

Magyar Suzuki's Esztergom-based plant will return to two-shift operation in December, where the mass production of the new Vitara, the fourth Suzuki model manufactured at the plant, will begin in January.

Last weekend saw the inauguration of the new Audi Aréna in Győr. The state-of-the-art facility will host sports and cultural events. The European Commission has opened an investigation into Hungary's aid for an investment project of Audi Hungaria Motor Kft.

The new Suzuki Vitara

The Ministry for National Economy admitted that instead of the HUF 11.2 billion support previously it had previously claimed, it provided a HUF 40 billion aid. In early-November, Opel Szentgotthárd donated 180 computers to local schools in a scheme to promote local education.

Suppliers

Japanese Exedy will create 150 new jobs in Tatabánya thanks to a HUF 7 billion investment. As a result of the investment, one fourth of all friction linings, clutch systems and clutch disks manufactured globally will be produced in Hungary.

Hungarian business and news weekly Figyelő's Developer of the Year Award has been given to Knorr-Bremse. The Award was handed out for the first time this year based on three types of corporate activities. Firstly, the candidate must have considerable R&D expenditure, secondly it has to have increased the volume and share of intangible assets in production and thirdly, Figyelő also required a growth in tangible assets from previous periods.

The 9th Japanese Component and Material Buyer' Exhibition was held last week to facilitate Japanese-Hungarian supplier connections.

Service providers

The Association of Hungarian Road Hauliers (MKF) held a debate last week to discuss various issues in the sector. "3.5 percent of all employees in Hungary work in goods and passenger transportation, accounting for 6 percent of the country's GDP so the development of the sector also benefits the state, which is why it is worthy of support," said Zoltán Vereczkey, chairman of the Association of Hungarian Road Hauliers (MKF) said a conference held last week.

At the 2nd European Engineers' Day in Brussels, Etelka Pataky, president of the Hungarian Chamber of Engineers, was honoured with the award of the European Council of Engineers Chambers (ECEC).

Department director Patrick Waldbuesser (right) at the inauguration of Audi Hungaria's fifth department at Széchenyi István University

The day after a discussion with the leaders of the Ministry of National Economy, LIGA Trade Unions held a demonstration last Friday against the tax increase on cafeteria benefits, the abolition of the early retirement programme and the lack of dialogue on social issues.

The price of fuels hasn't been this low for several years. Even the price of diesel has now decreased below the HUF 400 mark.

Our analysis based on a survey by auditing and advisory firm KPMG suggests that the willingness of banks to lend is increasing. Mercantile banks are mostly lending to investors in areas around the capital and West Transdanubia.

Education

Last week, Audi Hungaria opened its fifth department at Győr-based Széchenyi István University Instead of technologies, the Department of Management Sciences and Corporate Communications focuses on people, organization and communication. The Department's main focus will be the training of managers.

András Voith, the representative of Scientific Society of Mechanical Engineering and also jury member at TechTogether, said the students received real-life tasks at the competition, which will be useful during their professional careers.

Further reading

Last week we tested the new Jeep Renegade. In addition to its good looks, the off-roader also offers excitement. The car dominates the road be it a main road, city streets, muddy fields or a rocky plain.

Last week we tested the new Jeep Renegade

Last week we also reported on the 45th Autobus Professional Discussion, where besides a positive ideas, a number of heated arguments and debates also arose.