BRATISLAVA, October 30, (SITA) -- Sony Slovakia, with production units in Trnava reported sales at SKK 7.255 billion for the fiscal year from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002. The company manufactured 6.92 million products and its output increased 3 million items y/y. Since 1996 the company has invested SKK 947 million in Slovakia, Lubomir Kollar, quality manager of Sony Slovakia informed SITA.
Out of its total production, the company, which is the largest manufacturer and exporter of TV sets in Slovakia, exports 96 percent. The company's Trnava plant is a supplier of TV components for Sony production plants in Great Britain and Spain. This year the company began to export components also to San Diego and Pittsburgh, the United States and in limited series also to China. Part of its components are used for own production, since the company also assembles TV sets in its Trnava based plant. Out of these finished products 4 percent is placed on the domestic market.
According to Mr. Kollar the plant was situated in Trnava because of its favorable location from viewpoint of logistics, competitiveness and qualified labor force. The company also found significant support of the city council mainly in handling bureaucratic obstacles in launching and expanding the new plant.
Over the last fiscal year the company cooperated with 26 suppliers, who provide 13 percent of material supplies for the production plant in Trnava. The increasing number of domestic subcontractors shortens delivery terms by 55 percent on average and material costs by 20 percent compared with prices of original suppliers. Other suppliers of the company are European (58 percent) or Asian (28 percent) companies.
Sony produces 3.5 million of TV sets in Europe, out of this the output of the Trnava plant represents 600,000 TV sets annually. "The long-term plan of the company is to double this output over the next three years," said Werner Student, director of Sony Slovakia. According to him, the company does not plan large investments, but wants to increase labor productivity, use the premises more effectively. The company plans to double production of TV sets and components. Sony Slovakia wants to take over the supply of every plants of the Sony in Europe with high voltage transformers and coils and supply Sony plant in Europe, USA and Asia with electron tubes. The company also plans to expand its servicing activities and set up a design center. Sony Slovakia employs 1,137 people.
(EUR 1 = SKK 41.662 on October 30)