“The future success of the Hungarian economy is determined by where the companies that are dictating the tempo of the global economy develop, introduce and begin applying their innovations”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference in Pécs on Monday to announce an new investment project by ALDI International IT Services Ltd. (ALDI IIT).

According to Mr. Szijjártó, the Hungarian economy is characterised by a dimensional transition, and instead of focussing on production it is now placing the emphasis on higher added value workplaces, services, research and development. It is important to lead the economy forward from the “Made in Hungary” era into the “Invented in Hungary” era, he explained, adding that the Hungarian Government has made the necessary decisions to enable the chief direction to no longer be the number of workplaces, but the level of technology represented by workplaces.

“We have significantly simplified the investment promotion and funding systems, as a result of which service sector investments can now be financed more easily and simply, and to a greater extent”, the Minister said.

With relation to the future success of the Hungarian economy, offering young Hungarians opportunities that encourage them to achieve success at home with their added value, level of technology, status and salaries so they “stay at home in our major rural cities”, is also a determining factor, he stated.

Mr. Szijjártó highlighted the fact that a total of over 110 service centres are currently operating in Hungary, employing some 50 thousand, mostly highly qualified young people in their twenties.

The Minister announced that ALDI International IT Services Ltd., which operates the Aldi Group’s service centres, will be establishing its second Hungarian service centre after its existing facility in Biatorbágy with an investment of 1.3 billion forints (EUR 3.92 million) and 300 million forints (EUR 905 thousand) in government funding, with which it will be creating 70 new workplaces.

The company provides support for the operation of the ALDI South group’s new IT system and now assures the unhindered functioning of the IT systems of over 3800 European ALDI stores, and from 2019 also 55 logistics centres, in addition to which the centre in Pécs also performs the monitoring activities of some of the company’s IT systems.

With relation to the investment project being realised by the large German company, Mr. Szijjártó pointed out that Germany is Hungary’s largest trade partner and foreign investor, with a record 54 billion euros in trade flow realised between the two countries last year, explaining that this fruitful cooperation is expected to continue in future in view of the fact that, according to a survey performed by the German-Hungarian Chamber of industry and Commerce, “German companies have never before been so satisfied with their operations in Hungary, with 84 percent of them stated that they would realise investment projects in Hungary again”.

Member of Parliament for Pécs Péter Hoppál (Fidesz-KDNP) spoke about the fact that the Baranya County capital has at its disposable the professionals required for the implementation of the government’s plans, in view of the fact that new graduates from the city’s university are highly qualified and can serve local investments and development projects that require more high added value well.

Managing Director of ALDI International IT Services GmbH & Co. David Godschalk underlined: the company group is satisfied with the high-quality IT services being provided from Hungary since 2013. “Our staff are open, flexible, agile and speak several languages, and provide for the unhindered operation of the computer systems of the company’s stores, warehouses and national headquarters from Milan to Glasgow”, he added.

According to the written summary provided to the press, in addition to Hungarian, the company’s experts also provide support in English, German, Italian, Slovenian and French. Thanks to the increase in staff at the company’s centre in Pécs, the number of people employed by ALDI IIT in Hungary will be increasing to 150.

Last year, Aldi IIT achieved 1.039 billion forints (EUR 3.136 million) in net turnover and after-tax profits of 52.1 million forints. ALDI Hungary Food Bt, which operates the company group’s supermarkets, opened its first store in Hungary in 2008, and the company is currently present within the Hungarian retail sector with 140 stores and employs some 3300 people.

(MTI/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)