Trade and Industry/City Industrial Zone

FOXCONN CZ

The Taiwanese company of FOXCONN was the first big investor in Pardubice, one of the largest producers of personal computers in the world, producing for such brand-names as Compaq, IBM, HP, Cisco. In the end it was more advantageous and faster for this company to purchase the complex of the then bankrupt company HTT TESLA, in whose production halls the manufacture started in 2000. The company of FOXCONN employs approximately 5000 employees.

Investors in Pardubice

After concentrating the direct foreign investments into the City Industrial Zone Pardubice during its almost ten-years’ functioning it is obvious that the years 1998 and 1999 were devoted to the preparation of the area and building some technical background of the zone in the form of engineering networks and transport infrastructure.

The first investor, the company of PANSONIC started the influx of foreign investors’s investments to Pardubice and in particular it provided reference to the following Japanese automobile investors JTEKT and KYB in 2003 – 2004. In 2004 the position of the zone was strengthened by another entering investor from the automotive industry, the Swiss company of Ronal. One year later the city concluded a contract with the company of TechnoPark Pardubice. The successful implementation of the TechnoPark project shall bring to Pardubice high-tech branches, science, development and research that are in compliance with the long-term strategy of the city, the strategic documents of the city, as well as with the vision of the Agency for Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Investments (Agentury pro podporu podnikání a investic) CzechInvest.

During last 6 years the City Industrial Zone of Pardubice has reached almost 80% of occupancy and 20% of reservations with the total number of 2165 created working places and the complex amount of investments CZK 5, 316 milliard. Realistically we can expect 100% of the zone occupancy in the horizon of approximately 6 years, thus the intent of the CzechInvest agency, which has released for the construction of the zone almost CZK 95 million from the state budget or EU, would be fulfilled as well.

Panasonic Automotive Systems Czech

The first successful project was an investment made by Panasonic Automotive Systems Czech (formerly Panasonic Mobile & Automotive Systems Czech). The company expressed its interest in the investment in the CIZP as early as 2000. The Municipality of Pardubice was successful in competing with other industrial zones in Poland, Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic and in December 2001 the contract regarding the sale of the land was signed by Panasonic and the Municipality of Pardubice. Construction of the Panasonic manufacturing plant started mid-2001 on a total area of 14 hectares. Manufacture of Panasonic branded mobile phones and car radios commenced in April 2002. In March 2006 manufacturing of mobile phones was unexpectedly terminated due to stagnation on the world market and the company then focused on making satellite navigation systems for cars. In the future the plant in the industrial zone is designed to be Matsushita's biggest facility outside of Japan, and plans for moving the development centre to Pardubice have been considered. The company promised to invest CZK 3.27 billion. So far 1375 new jobs have been created and this figure is expected to increase up to 1400.

JTEKT Automotive Czech Pardubice

In 2001 the Municipality of Pardubice opened negotiations with JTEKT Automotive Czech Pardubice, s.r.o. (formerly Toyoda Koki Automotive Czech Republic), a car components producer. JTEKT manufactures gear systems, gearbox and axle spare parts. The construction of the manufacturing plant in the city industrial zone began in May 2003 and was finished in February 2004. Serial production has been in process since 2005. JTEKT divided its investment into two phases. Between 2003 and 2007 JTEKT invested CZK 1115 million in the manufacture of gear components and created about 350 new jobs. The second phase will follow in 2008-2010 with an investment of ca CZK 800 million creating other 100-150 working places. The company has been built on the area of 10000 m2 and it became the first production plant of Toyoda and the second plant of JTEKT in the continental Europe. Their products are purchased by automobile companies from Western and Central Europe.

KYB Manufacturing Czech

The third Japanese company, KYB Manufacturing Czech, entered into negotiations with the Municipality of Pardubice in 2004. In the course of the following two years a production plant for minor engineering was built on an area of 6 hectares. Again, KYB represents the automotive industry and is the sole shock absorber supplier of the Toyota-Peugeot-Citroen concern, as well as Mitsubishi Corporation. The company has been manufacturing shock absorbers for cars in Pardubice since 2006. The investment reached over CZK 751.5 million and created 330 new jobs. Over the next two years a total of 120 new jobs are to be created.

Ronal CR

Ronal CR of Switzerland is another automotive company which came to the Pardubice Industrial Zone in 2004. The company focuses on manufacturing, research, development and distribution of car components, namely aluminium wheels. Ronal's sole customers are manufacturers of renowned makes of car such as Audi, Ford, Chrysler, Opel, Porsche, Saab, Škoda, Volkswagen, and more. The company has already invested over CZK 2 billion in Pardubice and created 400 new jobs. An increase in up to 550 new jobs is expected in the next two years. Construction of the manufacturing plant on an area of 10 hectares began in December 2004, and serial production began two years later, in 2006.

TechnoPark Pardubice

A science and technology park, known as TechnoPark Pardubice, which is already under construction, belongs to recent investments in the industrial zone. This PPP (Public Private Partnership) project is being implemented under the patronage of the public sector, represented by the University of Pardubice and the Regional Office, and the private sector, represented by the company Free Zone. The scientific-technological park is designed as a prospective centre of strategic services, research and development, focusing on the electro-technical, chemical and automotive industries, information technologies and software applications. The investment is planned to reach CZK 750 million and create 250 new jobs, especially for university and college graduates. The construction of office buildings began in October 2007, and the 1st phase of the project is expected to be finished before the end of 2008.