UP! MEANS GROWTH

More than just a car. This slogan promoting a Volkswagen minicar had been on a special website for almost two years before its launch. The same applies to the Up! model, also from the perspective of the Slovak auto manufacturing industry. The fact that the German company definitely positioned its production of the “New Small Family” in Volkswagen Slovakia, is not only a decision about developing investments in one firm. In regards to the scope and reach in the form of supplier structure expansion, can the Slovak translation of Up! (Nahor!) mean a real growth impulse for the strongest branch of Slovak industry? Last Wednesday, Volkswagen officially confirmed that they will, with a 308 million euro investment, expand production capacity in the Devínska Nová Ves factory to approximately 400,000 cars a year. Which means almost 50% compared to the current situation. The construction of production halls, technologies purchases, as well as expansion of infrastructure in Bratislava, will not probably be the only direct results of the investment. The investments should also affect the factory in Martin. The battle for the project which will create 1,500 job positions was long and tough, stated Bohdan Wojnar, Volkswagen Slovakia board member. It’s no surprise because the industrial world nowadays is not abounding with investments of such an extent. Besides Up! production, Volkswagen also decided on another new product, the Compact SUV Audi Q3. This means almost 300 million euros in investments, and 1,200 new job positions in the production of 80,000 small terrain vehicles. According to Trend’s information Volkswagen’s daughter company had a chance until the last moment. But also thanks to support from the local government, it is the Martorell factory near Barcelona which has been enjoying production of the new model since last Wednesday. Volkswagen received support in Slovakia, too. The government approved 14.3 million euros for the project at the end of last year. I Pg 34