Investment and Innovation on show at Automotive Hungary Exhibition
In October this year Industry Europe attended the Automotive Hungary International Trade Exhibition for automotive industry suppliers which was held at Hungexpo Budapest Fair Centre. Organised for the sixth time, the show is the only Central Eastern European event where the entire spectrum of automotive production is represented, from design to implementation.
The co-event of Automotive Hungary was the Autotechnika-Autodiga International Vehicle Maintenance Industry Trade Exhibition. This is the most important professional forum of the automotive repair and maintenance industry in Hungary.
Besides the four car manufacturers in Hungary – Audi, Mercedes, Opel, Suzuki – there were several significant exhibitors including TIER1, TIER2 and TIER3 suppliers, service providers connected to the industry, governmental and trade institutes and representatives of the educational sector of the automotive industry.
In all there were 254 exhibitors from 14 countries, including Austria, Czech Republic, South Korea, England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia and Taiwan.
The exhibition provided opportunities for networking with existing and new customers, analysing the competitors, identifying new sales channels and market opportunities and observing the current and emerging trends of the industry.
The professional partners of the exhibition were the Association of the Hungarian Automotive Industry (MAGE), the Association of Hungarian Automotive Component Manufacturers (MAJOSZ) and the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA).
Key location
The event was opened by Dr Laszlo Palkovics, Minister for Innovation and Technology, Mr Gabor Ganczer, CEO – Hungexpo Ltd and Mr Csaba Kilian, CEO – Association of the Hungarian Automotive Industry (MAGE).
As Dr Palkovics explained, Hungary is now a key location on the world map of the automotive industry. As well as its remarkable performance in growing its automotive industry production capacities, the industry has also seen the continuous strengthening of its development activities. There are nearly 177 thousand people working in automotive production, which is the highest figure within the manufacturing industry in Hungary.
Research programmes in the Hungarian automotive industry have delivered numerous outstanding achievements in recent years and Hungary’s auto makers are also participating in international research projects currently in progress in the field of management systems of autonomous and electric vehicles. For example the ZalaZone proving ground is unique not only in Hungary but also on European level. It provides an opportunity to carry out not only traditional dynamic vehicle tests but also enables the validity testing of autonomous and electric vehicles (cars, buses and trucks).
Currently Hungary’s automotive industry accounts for 29 per cent of the domestic manufacturing industry. It also makes up 20 per cent of Hungary’s entire export volume
Continuing investment
The member companies of the Association of Hungarian Automotive Industry (MAGE) continue to make numerous major investments in the country – currently more than EUR 2-3 billion a year. The list of such projects includes Mercedes’ expansion of an existing factory and the establishment of a new one, the new factory of ThyssenKrupp Presta, Continental’s developments in Mako and Vac, the Indian Samvardhana Motherson Group’s (SMG) investment in Kecskemet, along with additional investments by Knorr Bremse, Audi, Raba, Dana, FAG and Robert Bosch.
Schneider Electric the global specialist in energy management and automation has sold more than 150 electric car charger stations in Hungary and also trained more than 300 electricians to install electrical charging stations, highlighting the company’s leading position the development of in e-mobility in Hungary.
The exhibition also featured Industry 4.0 conferences, introducing digital switchover, smart factory, smart investments, artificial intelligence and the relationship between robotization and labour shortage. Although automotive production is an increasingly mechanised process, the human labour force still remains oneof its greatest assets.
Another major presentation was the introduction of the new generation of design and simulation tools supporting the automotive industry, as well as the 3D printing solutions (VARINEX Zrt) that support additive manufacturing.
All these served to underline that only those companies that are capable of continuous change and renewal can survive against international competition.
The National Association of Packaging and Material Handling presented the packaging solutions offered specifically for the automotive suppliers (KNUPPEL, Remenyi Csomagolastechnika).
Innovation winners
Hungexpo Ltd also announced a Product Innovation competition at Automotive Hungary for the first time. There were several high-quality applications which were evaluated by the professional jury and four categories were awarded with Grand Prix and one category with Special Award.
The categories and winners were as follows:
Category of Tools: Hoffmann Hungary Quality Tools Ltd – GARANT Xpent –modular and flexible 5 axis device.
This new, unique clamping concept GARANt Xpent was developed in cooperation with the customers in order to achieve optimum accessibility of the component. The 5-axis vice is available in 3 heights.
All components of the vice are perfectly symmetrical and case-hardened. The clamping modules can be turned by 180° and therefore provide a maximum flexibility.
Category of Software: Varinex Informatikai Zrt – Autodesk Product Design Collection System engineering design software.
Varinex Zrt has been in the business for 25 years in the areas of digital production support and prototype manufacturing, 3D printing and GIS integration. The company was present at the exhibition with industry-leading engineering and design solutions: Stratosys and EOS 3D Printing Technologies, Autodesk and OPEN MIND Engineering Design Platforms and next generation MSC Software Simulation solutions.
Category of Industrial Logistic:Szkaliczki Kft – Vacuumformed logistics trays.
Over the past 20 years the company has become a leading player in plastic processing, including vacuum-, compressed air and thermoforming with their logistics trays, packaging blister packs, various machinery covers, green roof technological trays and ‘kartonplast’ partition elements.
Category of 3D printing:Stratasys GmbH – Fortus 380mc Carbon Fiber Edition 3D printer
The Fortus 380mc Carbon Fiber Edition prints with FDM Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber and ASA. It is a targeted solution when you need the strength and stiffness of carbon-filled nylon for dependable functional prototyping, production parts and rugged tooling.
The winner of Special prize: Vendinvest Hungary Ltd – Collecting Machines, the smart collector.
The collecting machine is an indispensable tool for environmentally conscious, forward looking and proactive production facilities where large amounts of PPE, tools and MRO are used during the manufacturing process. It collects used equipment and registers the person and the type of material that was collected. This makes it easy to monitor unjustified use of equipment.
The back-office software allows you to take control you can decide which items can be picked up only if the previously used one really needs to be replaced.
All trade exhibitions need to show that they can offer real business opportunities to participants as well as information on the latest developments. It’s been proven for some years now that Automotive Hungary has been an outstanding place for fruitful meetings between car manufacturers, their partners and suppliers.