“The economic successes of recent years would not have been realised if international companies had not given Hungary their vote of confidence, in which Bosch has also played a significant role”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed at Bosch’s plant in Miskolc at an event to celebrate the production of its one hundred millionth hand tool.
The jubilee product manufactured by Robert Bosch Power Tool Limited was a two-speed battery operated drill/screwdriver, of which over a million have been produced so far at the plant.
At the event, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted the fact that last year the Bosch Group invested 58 billion forints (EUR 181 million) in Hungary, creating a thousand new jobs, meaning it now employs over 14 thousand people.
The Minister also spoke about the fact that the Miskolc plant has become Europe’s largest manufacturer of hand tools, and 79 percent of the products manufactured here go to export.
“Bosch is also facilitating the qualitative renewal of the Hungarian economy”, the Minister declared, adding that a totally new competition has developed within the global economy, and accordingly “our job is to make Hungary successful in the new digital era, just as the Hungarian economy became successful in the traditional industrial era”.
According to Mr. Szijjártó, Germany is Hungary’s number one trade partner and is responsible for 27 percent of total trade flow, with 28 percent of the direct working capital invested in Hungary also deriving from Germany. “There are now six thousand German enterprises operating in Hungary, providing jobs to 300 thousand people”, he added.
In his speech, Mayor of Miskolc Ákos Kriza (Fidesz-KDNP) highlighted the fact that since Bosch built a factory in the Miskolc 18 years ago, the city has been developing and growing, the company employs over 6500 people, is the city’s steady and dependable partner, and their relationship is mutually beneficial.
At the event organised to celebrate the jubilee product, Managing Director of Robert Bosch Power Tool Ltd. László Fükő said: “We regard the fact that we have achieved an order of magnitude of one hundred million and quadrupled our production capacity over a period of ten years to be the result of our technological efforts, which are exclusively based on competency”.
The company was founded in Miskolc in November 2001, and has grown to become a determining factor not only within the company group, but also within the region itself; Bosch has become the world’s largest manufacturer of hand tools. The plant, which is over 38 thousand square metres in size, employs some 2400 people.
Bosch products have been present in Hungary since 1898. This year, the concern is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of its Hungarian office, the Group has nine subsidiaries in Hungary and has become one of the country’s largest foreign industrial employers.
In the 2017 financial year, Bosch realised 1304 billion forints (EUR 4bn) in turnover in Hungary, 13 percent more than in the previous year. Last year, the Bosch Group realised a total revenue of 78.1 billion euros worldwide.
(MTI)
