“French company Suez will be expanding its facility in Oroszlány with an investment of 9.6 billion forints (EUR 29 million), creating 85 new jobs at its water purification membrane production plant”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced at a press conference to launch the investment project in Budapest on Tuesday.

Mr. Szijjártó told reporters that in view of the new workplaces and the high-added-value production, the government is providing 1.7 billion forints (EUR 5.1 million) in funding towards the investment. The Minister said the fact that one of the world’s leading corporations is expanding its production here is an acknowledgement of the Hungarian water industry. “The market for water technology is expanding in view of the increasing global population and the pollution of water resources, and the products of the Oroszlány plant are now being used worldwide, including amongst others during the course of UN peacekeeping missions and a host of NATO operations”, he added. Mr. Szijjártó welcomed the fact that Suez’s Hungarian subsidiary sends almost 99 percent of its products to export, and accordingly the expansion of production will also be leading to an increase in Hungarian exports. “However, major international companies not only contribute to breaking new export records, but also to the proliferation of state-of-the-art technologies in Hungary”, he stated, justifying the fact that the Hungarian government is promoting investment in Hungary with an economic environment that is highly favourable in international comparison with this and the strong international competition for investment projects. The Minister added that France is the 4th largest investor in Hungary, and the over 500 enterprises with French backgrounds operating here provide jobs for some 40 thousand people in Hungary. Trade flow between the two countries exceeded 6.3 billion euros in the first 9 months of this year.

The region’s Member of Parliament highlighted the fact that in addition to production and development, the Suez facility in Oroszlány also feels a responsibility towards its employees and the environment. According to Judit Czunyiné Bertalan, the increase in capacity is laying the foundations for the future, in view of the fact that drinking water not only represents a treasure now, but will continue to be one in future. President and CEO of Suez’s Hungarian subsidiary Yuvbir Singh told reporters that the products made in Oroszlány are used by several sectors of industry, and especially where clean water is particularly important. The CEO justified the 35 percent increase in production in Oroszlány with the fact that following repeated modernisation, the plant, which was founded in 2002, has again reached the limits of its production capacity. Suez Water Technologies and Solutions operates some 200 plants worldwide and employs 11 thousand people. Its Hungarian facility employs some one thousand people. Oroszlány-based Suez Water Technologies & Solutions Hungary Ltd. achieved 171 million euros in turnover in 2018, following 160 million in 2017. The company posted 25 million euros in after-tax profits the year before last and 18 million last year.

(MTI)