Series of Villeroy&Boch Investments in Hódmezővásárhely

German ceramics manufacturer Villeroy&Boch has carried out a series of investments worth EUR 14 million (more than HUF 5 billion) in Hódmezővásárhely, SE Hungary over three years. The company is expecting a shortfall in revenues this year due to the downturn in the construction industry, the director of the company's bathroom and wellness division, Georg Lörz said at a press conference on Thursday.

He explained that the biggest part of the investment, EUR 6.3 million, was the installation of new high-pressure toilet casting machines, replacing the previous traditional plaster casting. Two of the four machines are already in operation and the others are scheduled to go into production this year.

He stressed that the aim was not to replace workers with robots, but to help retain the workforce. This way, they don't have to lift products weighing 30-40 kilograms, which means they can hire more women to work on the production lines. He explained that in Hódmezővásárhely, they face the problem that it is difficult to find enough skilled workers, so they also employ foreigners. Currently, they employ 750 people.

They have also installed a robotic glazing line worth EUR 3.8 million and are almost finished with the installation of a solar panel system, 2×500 kilowatts, for which they are spending EUR 1.4 million. This, together with the waste water treatment equipment, will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 800 tons, or 5%.

Villeroy&Boch is celebrating its 275th anniversary this year, having been founded in 1748 and still headquartered in Mettlach, Germany. They employ 6,400 people worldwide, have factories in 13 countries and sell to 125 countries. They offer products in two categories (bathroom & wellness and food & lifestyle). Their main market is Europe, but interest in tableware and so-called lifestyle products is growing in the United States and they have also started to expand in the Middle East and Asia, Georg Lörz explained.

The plant in Hódmezővásárhely produces around one million units a year, 80% of which are intended for export, with Germany, France and the Nordic countries being the main sales markets.