Coloplast of Denmark has implemented E-funded development projects worth HUF 5bn at its Hungarian production facilities – the company’s Senior Vice President Allan Rasmussen said at the press conference organized on the completion of the project in Nyírbátor. Minister of State for Employment Policy Sándor Czomba also participated at the event.

As the Senior Vice President said, the European Union provided grants of HUF 1.4bn within the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan for the development project at the Nyírbátor and Tatabánya plants aimed at technological improvement and job-creation, while the company contributed HUF 3.6bn of its own resources to the realization of the project.

Allan Rasmussen emphasized that the latest manufacturing technology for the production of medical appliances and equipment have been installed at the two plants, leading to the creation of 225 new jobs.

3bn forints and 2bn forints were spent on the development of the Nyírbátor and Tatabánya production facilities, respectively. There are now positions available for 150 new workers at the plant in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, while the Komárom-Esztergom County now has capacity for 75 new employees. According to Allan Rasmussen, the number of people employed by the Danish company at these two Hungarian sites totals 2000.

The Denmark-based enterprise has more than 8000 employees worldwide. With production facilities in Denmark, China, France, the United States of America and Hungary, the company produces and sells medical appliances and equipment to the value of 11bn Danish Crowns – approximately 1.5bn Euros – annually. Although Hungarian employees constitute only one-fourth of the entire workforce, 65 percent of total production comes from Hungary.

The enterprise started operating in Hungary in 2001: that was the year Coloplast Hungary Ltd was established. The Tatabánya plant was opened in 2002 and the one in Nyírbátor in 2007.

The Senior Vice President added, Coloplast has been a dynamically expanding company with annual production growth of 6-7 percent; therefore, naturally, some further developments may also be considered.

Minister of State Sándor Czomba emphasized at the press conference that for its additional projects the company could also rely on assistance from the Hungarian Government. As the Cabinet considers it a priority to help disadvantaged regions close the economic gap, and as in the future it will stimulate and subsidize investments at these locations, it may provide favourable opportunities to realise these goals.

Executive Director János Surmann of Coloplast Nyírbátor informed the press that 800 people from the surrounding region currently work in the 20 000m2 production facility, built in 2007 at a cost of 25bn HUF.

(Ministry for National Economy)