Automation Specialist Balluff Develops in Veszprém

Balluff-Elektronika Ltd.. specialising in the production of electronic components is to launch a new research and development project at its site in Veszprém, midwestern Hungary, targeting the major regeneration of sensors and network devices for industrial automation.

The investment of almost EUR 5.8 million creates new jobs for 30 highly qualified employees, by which the company carries out a 50% R&D capacity increase, the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency reports. The Hungarian government covers about a quarter of the cost of the investment.

The German family-owned Balluff celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year. The portfolio of the automation specialist includes, inter alia, products for sensor technology, RFID, visual and optical identification, as well as human-machine interface, security technology and industrial network technology products. The company's products are used in countless industries from the automotive industry through food production to the pharmaceutical industry. Today, Balluff is present in 68 countries worldwide with production sites in Hungary and in China.

During its more than 30 years of existence, the Hungarian subsidiary has developed into the largest production site of the company group. The factory in Veszprém, with 18,000 square meters, produces more than 7,000 kinds of products, which are exported to Germany and then sold worldwide through their sales network. For example, the sensor produced in Veszprém is deployed in the automotive and engine factories of Audi and Mercedes Benz in Hungary.

In addition to the dominant manufacturing position, the Veszprém unit has become an indispensable location in the group's research and development network with 30 patents of its own so far. In its development unit, engineers are working on the development of new products, as well as the further development of existing ones, and more than 50% of their working time is spent on R&D activity. On top of their primary function (position, displacement, movement speed detection, data transmission, industrial network communication, etc.), the newly developed products will be able to monitor machinery and their environmental condition as an extra feature. The development activities in Veszprém play a crucial role in the implementation of future products.