“Lufthansa Technik, the German Lufthansa Group’s aeroplane repair and maintenance company, is establishing a service centre in Miskolc with an investment of 43 billion forints (EUR 135.5 million)”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced in Budapest on Thursday at the press conference held to launch the investment.

Mr. Szijjártó told the press that the Hungarian Government will be contributing to the establishment of the facility, which will create 400 new jobs, with training funding. “The aeroplane parts repair plant in Miskolc will be receiving planes from other international airlines, not just Lufthansa”, he added. “The maintenance and rapid servicing of aeroplane engines is a key issue for airlines, and accordingly the significance of service facilities is increasing parallel to that of air travel”, he explained.

According to the Minister, Lufthansa’s investment in Hungary is not only important because it is backed by one of the worlds most successful air transport company groups, but also because the appearance of the giant German corporation represents a new level of quality for the Hungarian aeronautics industry. “In addition to Lufthansa Technik’s 20-year experience in Hungary, the investors’ decision was also facilitated by the city of Misckolc, whose leadership has created a favourable investment environment, as a result of which practically every major investor now regards Miskolc as a possible investment destination”, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted.

The Minister noted that the air transport servicing industry employs 2350 people in Hungary, last year its production value exceeded 105 billion forints (EUR 331 million), and it marketed 93.5 percent of its products abroad. “Lufthansa Technik’s Miskolc service centre is expected to further increase the sector’s performance, and proves that the global investor environment no longer regards Hungary as simply a manufacturing site, but also as a location that produces and develops high quality technologies”, he said.

Mayor of Miskolc Ákos Kriza (Fidesz) highlighted the fact that the new service centre being established by Lufthansa Technik is the largest investment in the city to date. “From being one of the biggest losers of the regime change, Miskolc has become one of the biggest winners when it comes to investment, and thanks to its highly-trained workers, its university and the help of the government, it has grown to become a region hub”, he stated.

The region’s Member of Parliament, Katalin Csöbör (Fidesz), called the construction of the service centre a project of national economic significance, explaining that Miskolc will be home to one of Europe’s largest MRO (maintenance-repair-overhaul) centres.

Vice-President of Lufthansa Technik AG Philip Mende said the facility is expected to begin operations in 2022, but the company will be employing its first staff this year and sending them to Germany and Ireland for training. “High-level requirements and strict standards will be enforced in Lufthansa’s Miskolc centre, in addition to which the centre will also be given its own development tasks, and accordingly will also be looking to hire engineers”, the company director indicated. “For this reason, the investment sum not only includes the construction and equipment, but also professional training”, he added.

Mr. Mende told the press that possible investment locations were examined worldwide, and that Miskolc was eventually chosen because of its developed infrastructure, its competitive business and economic environment, its highly-trained workforce, and the supportive environment. “As the sector’s leading global company, Lufthansa Technik would also like to become a responsible member of the Miskolc community”, he stated.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)