Grundfos opens competence center in Hungary

BJERRINGBRO, Denmark, Sept. 18, 2007 -- The opening of a European competence center of about 1,000 m² and a third factory of 25,000 m² marks that the Danish pump group Grundfos once again expands in Hungary. After the opening of the factory on Sept. 18 and the Competence center on Sept. 19, Grundfos has 1,500 employees in Hungary.

The competence center will be used to strengthen and develop the partnerships with primarily European customers, who use Grundfos pumps and pump systems in for example industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels and blocks of flats. Both customers and leading salespersons from first and foremost Grundfos' European companies will be trained in the locations with the latest high-tech equipment for among other things 3D presentations.

Head of the Competence Center, Ole Tangsgaard, explains that the new thing about Grundfos City is that customer visits in a professional way can be combined with factory tours and training. A newly established guest service at Grundfos in Hungary will ensure that customers and employees have a both pleasant and profitable stay.

Peter Sloth Karlsen, General Manager of the Hungarian production company, is pleased that the group has once again chosen Hungary as the domicile of one of its central activities.
"We take it as a large recognition, and we are looking forward to inviting key customers and employees to Hungary, so we can show them what we can offer", he says.

Lars Fournais, Group Senior Vice President, Grundfos Building Services, who has been the head of the establishment of the competence center, explains why Hungary has been chosen as domicile of the competence center.
"The placing next to the factories in Tatabanya has been chosen because many visitors already come to see the production of the pumps they buy, because Hungary has a central geographical position in Europe, and because Grundfos wants to shows the customers that we have competences in other places than in Denmark", Fournais says.

The new Hungarian Grundfos-factory is placed in the city Székesfehérvár, 60 kilometers from Budapest and 60 kilometers south of Grundfos' other factories in Tatabanya. It will increase the production area in Hungary by more than 50%, and the number of employees by more than 25%.

At first, the factory will primarily house the production that is being moved from the group's factory in Langå. According to Sloth Karlsen there is an excellent cooperation between the employees of the factories in Hungary and Demark to make the transfer and competence development optimal.

###