Hitachi starts construction in the Czech Republic
5 Oct. 2006 | CzechInvest | The Japanese company Hitachi, Ltd. has begun construction of a plant for the production of flat-panel displays in the Triangle industrial zone, which is approximately 80 km northwest of Prague in the Usti region of the Czech Republic. The new branch, which is to cover the growing demand for flat-panel TVs in Europe, will employ up to 1,500 people. The operation will include a design and R&D division, which will be in close contact with the R&D division of Hitachi Europe.
“As a leading player in the global consumer electronics market Hitachi brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that we believe will yield benefits to the region as a whole," says Makoto Ebata, CEO of Ubiquitous Platform Systems, Hitachi, Ltd.
“For the Czech Republic, this is far from the typical investments in production that used only cheap labour, as was the case in the 1990s. Investors coming to the Czech Republic are bringing both research and development capacities with them,” says Tomas Hruda, CEO of The Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest. “The R&D division of Hitachi‘s branch in the Czech Republic will meet local requirements, such as digital broadcasting, and strengthen development capacities,” Hruda concludes.
Hitachi will invest approximately EUR 60 million in the plant. Recruitment of employees for middle-management positions is currently underway. Production is expected to begin next summer and should reach 80,000 plasma and LCD TVs per month.
For more information, please visit www.hitachi.com
