“During the period of the coronavirus epidemic, 806 enterprises have committed themselves to realising investment projects at a total value of 377 billion forints (EUR 1.07 billion), and by doing so have protected over 143 thousand workplaces”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday at Paulik Ltd.’s facility in Nyíradony, where he officially presented the company with its funding certificate.

“The government has provided a total of 169 billion forints (EUR 480.5 million) in state funding towards this”, Mr. Szijjártó added, noting that 620 out of the 806 enterprises in question are Hungarian enterprises. According to the Minister, “The success of the Hungarian economy depends on the Hungarian people; the more enterprises are successful, the more successful is Hungary”. “Instead of handing out benefits, the government is funding investing and developing enterprises that are prepared to preserve workplaces”, he added.

The Minister told the press that Nyíradony-based Paulik Limited has been awarded 114 million forints (EUR 325 thousand) in state funding towards its 227.6-million-forint (EUR 647 thousand) investment project within the framework of the competitiveness-increasing program, with which the jobs of 110 employees have been successfully protected, and as a result of the development project the company could be hiring more staff in future. “Wood processing companies like Paulik Ltd. employ 13 thousand people nationwide, and manufactured 320 billion forints’ (EUR 910 million) worth of products last year”, he added.

In closing, Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that the government has funded the investment projects of 35 enterprises in Hajdú-Bihar county within the framework of its economy protection measures, with which it has protected some four thousand jobs. “The government is providing 8 billion forints (EUR 22.8 million) in state funding towards the 17 billion forints (EUR 48.3 million) in investment being realised within the County”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade added in Nyíradony.

“Hungary needs strong enterprises and good professionals, and Nyíradony’s Paulik Limited is an enterprise of exactly this quality”, the region’s Member of Parliament (Fidesz) said in his speech. László Tasó said technological development is important, and that enterprises are able to take advantage of the available funding, are realising development projects, are investing, and are preserving their highly trained workforces.

Managing Director Zsolt Paulik highlighted the fact that the company produces 500 thousand palettes and other timber products each year, in addition to processing wood industry by-products, and realised a domestic turnover of 2.2 billion forints (EUR 6.25 million) and 150 million forints (EUR 426.5 thousand) in profits last year. “In the interests of preserving our 110 employees and possibly increasing the number of staff in future, the company requires competitive technology. Our latest investment is enabling the acquisition of two new riveting robots, which we will be using during the manufacturing of industrial wood panels”, the Managing Director explained, prior to being officially presented with the company’s certificate relating to 114 million forints (EUR 325 thousand) in state funding by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)