Krones' first European plant outside Germany is now complete in Debrecen - VIDEO REPORT
2019. 09. 19.
The first European Krones production plant outside of Germany has been handed over in Debrecen. The new unit, which is the result of a greenfield investment of around EUR 49 million, will use the latest technologies for its manufacturing of bottling machines for beverages and liquid food products, primarily focusing on the company's European partners.
The German Krones AG, with a history dating back to 1951, is worldwide known for its process, filling and packaging technologies. It designs, develops and builds machinery and production lines, covering the entire value chain, for plants specialised in the making of beverages and liquid food products. The company group, with over 17,000 employees, provides comprehensive solutions from tailor-made machinery and IT solutions to plant design and logistics systems. Millions of bottles, cans and containers are processed by its equipment every day, mainly in breweries, soft drink plants, and in the chemical, pharmaceutical and beauty industry. Every fourth bottle in the world rolls out from a Krones production line, while in Europe every second bottle is filled by a Krones machine.
It has been two years since the investment was announced, and not more than a year since the foundation stone was laid, and works on the first Krones plant outside Germany have been finished in Debrecen. Good logistics connections, advanced infrastructure and highly skilled professionals, together with the potentials that the university and its dual training programmes can offer; these all contributed to the company's positive decision to bring its investment to the city. The Debrecen unit, which consists of a 40,000 square metres production hall and a 3,900 square metres office block will use cutting-edge technology. Similarly to the ones in Germany, it will employ highly skilled workmen and engineers for its manufacturing and assembly processes in Hungary.
Production is expected to reach full capacity by 2020. Nonetheless, there are already plans for the relocation of certain engineering design processes to Hungary.
This was not the first time for Krones to be involved in large-scale investments in the country. Prior to its decision to build a plant in Hungary, it delivered production lines to the mineral water bottling plants in Szentkirály (2007), Sárbogárd (2008), Piliscsév (2010) and to the Hell plant in Szikszó in 2011 respectively.
