“Swiss-based company Sensirion will be constructing a new Central and Eastern European production plant in Debrecen”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary Levente Magyar announced at a press conference in Budapest on Monday. Mr. Magyar said the instrument manufacturer will be producing state-of-the-art technology in the Hajdú region’s county capital.
The State Secretary said the announcement is also most welcome in view of the fact that “the Government has serious plans for Debrecen”, as Hungary’s most rapidly developing city. “The investment is not relying on competitiveness funding in view of the fact that the company had already decided on the investment prior to the coronavirus pandemic, after examining opportunities in other countries”, he emphasised.
“The government is nevertheless expanding the funding being made available to enterprises that are preparing to realise investment projects, and a new tender will soon be launched to promote investments with a volume exceeding 800 thousand euros, and a total of 50 billion forints (EUR 140 million) is also being made available to Hungarian enterprises that invest in other countries”, he added.
Mr. Magyar said the effects of the crisis must not be protected against, but exploited, because it is as such times that it is worth taking a big step, a bigger step than others. “If we are also successful in attracting significant foreign working capital to Hungary through funding Hungarian enterprises, then 2020 could come to a close with an outstanding ratio of investment, and strong economic growth could continue next year”, he stated.
At the press conference to announce the investment, Vice President of Sensirion Johannes Bleuel thanked the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) and the EDC Debrecen City and Economic Development Centre for having helped find the most suitable site for the investment project. According to Mr. Bleuel, the company’s new facility could help the company’s growth to continue after 20 years.
“However, Sensirion is not only relying on the plant’s production capacities, but also on the University of Debrecen and local vocational training”, he added.
The Vice President told reporters that Sensirion is primarily involved in producing environmental protection sensors. Practically all pieces of equipment that measure air quality operate using such sensors, but the company also produces sensors for medical equipment, and for instance the respirators imported by Hungary in recent months also operate using Sensirion sensors.
According to the Managing Director of Sensirion Hungary Limited, the investment project has found the best possible location in view of the fact that Debrecen is an excellent site for up and coming enterprises. “Prospective employees must also be ready for development in view of the fact that the company spends almost a quarter of its revenues on research and development”. László Ábrahám added.
Sensirion, which was founded in 1998, employs some 800 people, and realises an annual turnover of some 200 million euros. In addition to Switzerland, the company also operates plants in China and South Korea, and the company’s new plant in Debrecen will be its only facility in Europe outside Switzerland. The company’s Hungarian subsidiary was founded this year, and according to the company registration details its main profile will be the manufacturing of measuring instruments.
According to an announcement published on the company’s website on Monday, production at the new plant is expected to begin in the second half of 2021. The Debrecen plant will initially be offering 50 new workplaces, but the number of people employed at the plant is expected to increase several-fold by 2025.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)
