The foundation stone for technical textile manufacturer Mamutec Hungary Limited’s new, 1287 square metre production and storage hall was laid on Tuesday in the Békés County town of Gyomaendrőd.
According to plan, the investment project, which will cost some 575 million forints (EUR 1.6 million), will be completed by next summer. At the foundation stone laying ceremony, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary Levente Magyar told the press that the Hungarian government is providing 800 thousand euros in funding towards the project. “We are announcing an investment project that is in line with local traditions, in view of the fact that light industry has always been present in the region, and we are working to ensure that it continues to develop in future”, he added. “The people of Békés County should not expect economic prosperity and existential security from Budapest, and especially not from foreign investors, since the County has excellent natural and agricultural capabilities, as well as a diligent workforce. These attributes could lift the County to be among the winners of the future, and it is towards this that the government is providing assistance”, he added. “We are working to ensure that infrastructure continues to develop, that Békéscsaba Airport and cross-border roads are built, and that foreign investors arrive in the region, and all these will serve to boost the region’s economic performance”, he highlighted.
Director of Mamutec Hungary Ltd. Béla Csipai said the government is contributing some 287 million forints (EUR 800 thousand) in non-returnable state funding towards the company’s investment of some 575 million (EUR 1.6 million), with the remainder being financed to an equal extent from the company’s own resources and a bank loan. “The new facility will consist of a production hall and a storage area. The new production unit will manufacture braided and twisted ropes, which the company is already producing in its existing production hall, meaning the investment will serve to increase the company’s capacities. The number of people employed by the company has increased by 15 to 123, in addition to which 5 new employees will be hired to man the warehouse area on completion of the project”, he stated. “99 percent of the products will go to export. The company’s parent company is based in Switzerland, from where it supplies supermarket chains both in Switzerland and throughout Western Europe, including Germany, France and Belgium”, he explained. The company director announced that Mamutec has also been awarded 60 million forints (EUR 170 thousand) in non-returnable funding towards the construction of a solar panel park within the framework of an Innovation Operational Program (GINOP) tender. “The 120-million-forint (EUR 335 thousand) project will involve the installation of a 364.16-kilowatt small solar power station made up of 1138 solar panels on the roofs of three of the company’s industrial facilities. This will generate almost two thirds of the company’s annual electricity requirements, some 410 thousand kilowatts”, Mr. Csipai said.
General Director of Békés County’s government public administration office Attila Rákóczi said the company is one of the region’s determining employers. The region’s Member of Parliament Béla Dankó (Fidesz) said the company will be able to further improve its market positions, increase production and employ more people thanks to the investment. Mayor of Gyomaendrőd Balázs Toldi (independent) praised the investment and thanked the Hungarian government for providing funding towards the project.
According to Mamutec Hungary Limited’s website, the company was founded on 1 January 2001, when its majority owner was Swiss-based Mamutec AG. Since November 2008, Mamutec Hungary Ltd. has been under the ownership of Seilfabrik Ullmann AG. According to publicly available company data, Mamutec Hungary Ltd. achieved over 2.298 billion forints (EUR 6.42 million) in turnover in 2019, with the majority derived from exports. In 2018, the company realised 260 million forints (EUR 725 thousand) in after-tax profits, followed by some 230 million (EUR 640 thousand) in 2019.