Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency

In the history of the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), it happened in 2019 for the first time that the number of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Hungary exceeded 100. Last year a positive investment decision has been made in case of 101 investment projects worth EUR 5,350 million, creating 13,493 million new jobs. The most remarkable trends, such as the rise of the countries of the 'Eastern Opening' strategy and the strengthening of the electromobility sector, are also reflected in the recognition of some winners of the 'Investor of the Year 2019' Award.

Each year at the "Investors of the Year" award ceremony the companies executing the most considerable investments of the previous year are being recognized together with a Hungarian supplier and an industrial park.

HIPA's strategic objective is to provide FDI investors with the same high-standard support and assistance throughout the whole country, building on the cooperation of the respective settlements. To this end, HIPA pays particular attention to the promotion and improvement of the supplier role among domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, and also to the preparation of investment locations. Therefore, two award categories – 'Industrial Park of the Year' and 'Supplier of the Year' – specifically serve the recognition of the domestic players' achievements.

Award winners of the HIPA Investors of the Year 2019 Award Ceremony

Largest Greenfield Investment of the Year
Toray Industries Hungary
Toray Industries has chosen Hungary as the location for its battery separator film (BSF) manufacturing plant for lithium-ion batteries. The Japanese chemical company group is investing more than EUR 407 million to build its first European separator film manufacturing facility to meet the ever increasing demand attached to the spread of electric vehicles. In the coming years, Toray, becoming a key player in the domestic e-mobility sector, creates 188 new jobs, primarily of high added value, in Nyergesújfalu.

Business Expansion of the Year
Samsung SDI Magyarország
Samsung Group, with more than seven decades of history, is implementing the largest Asian investment in Hungary so far: Samsung SDI, the battery manufacturing business division of the South Korean company is expanding its manufacturing facilities in Göd in a value of EUR 1.2 billion, which is also one of the largest electronic investments of the Central and Eastern European region. Batteries of Samsung SDI, manufactured for hybrid or fully electric passenger cars, contribute to e-mobility and the spread of environmentally friendly means of transport.

Company of the Year for Job Creation
SK Battery Manufacturing
The expansion of SK Innovation, a leading manufacturer of batteries for electric cars, will create about 2,500 jobs in Komárom. The Battery division of the giant South Korean company is building its first European plant in Hungary, from which, starting from this year, they will supply their European partners with third generation battery packs providing a range of up to 500 kilometres, further strengthening Hungary's position in electromobility.

Centre of Excellence of the Year
Sanofi Business Services Budapest Center
Sanofi is a leading health care company in Hungary. Besides its manufacturing and commercial centre in Budapest, it has production facilities in Veresegyház and in Csanyikvölgy, near Miskolc, as well as a regional logistics and distribution centre in Nagytétény. The fifth Hungarian facility, announced in 2019, is a global competence centre that enables Sanofi to enter the business service sector, supporting the internal processes of the company group in seven languages, creating a total of 350 new jobs by 2022.

Business Services Centre Investment of the Year
TESCO Business Services & Technology
Tesco Group, founded 100 years ago, as a key player in European retail opened its first store in Hungary in 1995. Now, entering a new sector more than two decades later, the company has chosen Budapest as the location of its unified Central European business and technology service centre. The Center of Excellence unit of the British company, opening in 2019, creates 800 new high added value jobs in the next period. At the new hub, the support of IT, HR, product and supplier management fields as well as customer support and cutting-edge software development will take place.

R&D Investment of the Year
thyssenkrupp Components Technology Hungary
The automotive segment of thyssenkrupp started its activities in Hungary back in 1999 and has been engaged in research and development activities in cooperation with the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary since then. The electric and electronic (E/E) competence centre in Budapest operates as the global development centre of thyssenkrupp AG. Only last year, the R&D workforce increased by 66 people, thereby the German technology company now employs more than 900 highly qualified Hungarian engineers, who have gained international recognition with the development of electromechanical steering systems.

Industrial Park of the Year
Eastern Industrial Park, Kaposvár
The Eastern Industrial Park in Kaposvár currently covers an area of 71 hectares, accommodating a number of local and international companies. Thanks to its excellent geographical location, infrastructure and the successful investment promotion program of the city, the industrial park has recently become fully occupied, but as a result of a soon-to-be-completed development, it will expand by half, which gives even more new partners the opportunity to join a real success story in Southern Hungary.

Supplier of the Year
Simon Műanyagfeldolgozó
The family-owned Simon Műanyagfeldolgozó, founded 35 years ago as a one-man business, has grown to be one of the most significant plastic industry companies in Hungary. 95% of its products are manufactured for the automotive industry and can be found in almost all car types of the world. Besides numerous recognitions, Simon was awarded the "Factory of the Year" title two times in-a-row in 2017 and 2018, granted based on a comprehensive set of criteria and lengthy evaluation.