The Switzerland-based Stadler Rail Group, the rail vehicle manufacturer, held a ceremony for laying the foundation stone for its new Szolnok project earlier today.

The foundation stone for the new production and service site was laid by Executive Vice President of Stadler Rail Group Jürg Gygax, Minister of State for Employment Policy at the Ministry for National Economy Sándor Czomba, and Mayor of the City of Szolnok Ferenc Szalay. State Secretary Czomba said that Stadler’s decision shows that the company, based on its previous experience, trusts Hungary and its work force.

Via the new investment Stadler will significantly increase its vehicle body production capacity in Szolnok. Stadler will also introduce an entirely new production line in Hungary, as the company will establish a competence center in Szolnok responsible for bogie quality control. The investment totaling 3.5bn HUF as a whole will create 230 new jobs.

Stadler has already started construction this September and, according to expectations, the new production and service facilities will be open as soon as the first quarter of 2013.

Together with prior investments of altogether 9bn HUF, after completing this project the Stadler Group will have invested 12.5bn HUF in Hungary and thereby the number of employees at its three affiliates is forecast to increase to 600. This also means that after Switzerland and Germany, the Hungarian division will be the third largest within the Stadler Group.

Further investments are also planned: an approved future investment project of 1.6bn HUF will be aimed at establishing final assembly capacity in Szolnok with demand for about another 100 employees.

(Ministry for National Economy)