Oliver Grünberg, chairman of the board of Volkswagen Slovakia, bringing details about teh €1 billion investment to Bratislava. (source: Courtesy of VW Slovakia)
The arrival of two new models and better usage of existing production capacities is good news for everyone: the Slovak arm of Volkswagen, the Slovak economy as well as the state coffers. Yet the investment raises concerns that it will maintain Slovakia as a mere assembly hall, failing to attract the production of electric cars and R&D.
The production portfolio of the Bratislava plant of the German carmaker will be extended by two new models - the Volkswagen Passat and the flagship of the Czech automotive industry: the Škoda Superb.
The group plans to invest about €1 billion in Slovakia into the entire product range in the next five years. Of this sum around €500 million will go into the production of the two new models. The VW group has invested about €4.5 billion so far in Slovakia since its arrival in 1991.
“Volkswagen Slovakia deserved the trust of the group and was rewarded for it,” said Oliver Grünberg, chairman of the board of Volkswagen Slovakia, when informing on November 16 about the details of the new production project announced by the group on November 13.
