Siemens to invest more than CZK 7 billion in the Czech Republic

•   investments totalling more than CZK 7 billion over the next seven years

•   new electric-motor development centre in Ostrava focused on IoT and Industry 4.0

•   expansion and modernisation of all Siemens plants in Drásov (electromotors and generators), Frenštát pod Radhoštěm (electromotors), Mohelnice (electromotors and busbar trunking systems), Trutnov (low-voltage switch gears), Letohrad (circuit breakers) and Brno (industrial steam turbines).

•   introduction of state-of-the-art digital technologies

•   more than 1,800 jobs, approximately 30% of which in research and development, management and other functions

Siemens Česká republika will expand and modernise its local branches over the next seven years with investments totalling more than CZK 7 billion. The company will thus create more than 1,800 jobs, roughly one-third of which will comprise positions in research and development, management and other functions. The largest part of the investments will involve expansion and modernisation of electromotor production. A completely new electromotor development centre will be established in Ostrava.

“Expansion on such a scale is unique in the Czech Republic. This involves a number of branches across the country and it will bring forth eighteen hundred job opportunities. At the same time, the unambiguous focus on development of electric motors and Industry 4.0 will place the Czech Republic in a leadership position of digitalization and electroengineering in the coming years,” says Bohuslav Sobotka, prime minister of the Czech Republic.

The largest part of the more than CZK 7 billion investment will be divided among Siemens’ three electromotor manufacturing plants in Drásov, Frenštát pod Radhoštěm and Mohelnice, which will be expanded and modernised. Siemens is also making a substantial investment in the expansion and modernisation of its production of low-voltage switching equipment and electrical circuit breakers in Trutnov and Letohrad, as well as in its industrial steam turbines factory in Brno. Siemens will equip all its factories in the Czech Republic with state-of-the-art digital technologies. All factories producing electric motors will be served by the new electromotor development centre that Siemens plans to build in Ostrava. The Czech factories will deliver advanced products of the highest quality to all continents.

“Siemens is currently considering whether and to what extent it will apply for investment incentives. However, expansion of its activities in the Czech Republic is not conditional on the provision of incentives,” says Karel Kučera, CEO of CzechInvest. “The valuable contribution of this investment is mainly the transfer of unique know-how to cooperating entities, from suppliers, universities and research institutions to the employees themselves," he adds.

“Siemens has been an important part of the Czech economy since 127 years and certainly is today, employing more than 10,000 employees in the country, and with many more thousands of other Czech jobs linked to our activities. I’m proud that we can further expand our activities in the Czech Republic, particularly in high value add areas. Our newest digital technologies enable our customers to strengthen their competitiveness. We will continue in the systematic introduction of these technologies in the country, starting with our own factories. We will further strengthen our already excellent collaboration with Czech universities and research institutes. I am convinced that our strategic focus on digitalization makes Siemens an attractive employers for young generations,” says Eduard Palíšek, CEO of Siemens Česká republika.

“I am pleased that our region is attracting firms that use the potential of new technologies. All of that has a favourable impact on our competitiveness and prosperity. So that we can flexibly respond to the needs of the market, our future is closely bound to the development of Industry 4.0. I believe that innovation and development of technologies in the Moravia-Silesia region are linked to capable people who will be able to apply their expert knowledge, creativity and diligence. Even the best technology would not work without the people who not only use it, but who also create it,” said Ivo Vondrák, governor of the Moravia-Silesia region.