German plastics group Rehau (Rehau; www.rehau.com) has invested EUR 150 mn in a new production facility in Újhartyán, Hungary. About 45 km southeast of Budapest, around 350 employees are now producing injection moulded parts for the automotive industry, such as bumpers and spoilers, on an area of 63,000 m².

The construction project was subsidised by the Hungarian state to promote job creation. “We intend to increase the number of employees from the current level of around 350 to more than 700 in the next two to three years. In addition to the ongoing series production, further projects have already been commissioned or are in preparation,” explained Rehau Automotive CEO, Markus Distelhoff. He did not provide any further details.

In fact, the Hungarian plant had been commissioned more than two years ago. However, the delivery of the one millionth painted component has now been taken as an opportunity to officially inaugurate the plant together with Hungarian minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó. The vehicle parts are delivered to customers throughout Eastern Europe.

Rehau’s Automotive division employs 7,000 at 25 locations in nine countries. Last year, the automotive production plant in Cullman, Alabama, USA, was expanded at a cost of around EUR 42 mn (see Plasteurope.com of 14.09.2021).

With around 20,000 employees at more than 170 locations worldwide, the group generates annual sales of over EUR 4 bn. In addition to the automotive industry, its products are used in construction and industrial sectors.