Payment cards were produced in Nitra, illustrative stock photo. (source: AP/SITA)
The German company Giesecke + Devrient, which produces banknotes, security cards, payment cards, ID cards and passports, will close its Slovak plant in Nitra.
The company announced the decision on November 30, the Sme daily wrote. The closure of the plant will impact the 370 employees who work there. The company noted it will offer them jobs in its other plants around Europe, or financial compensation. Furthermore, they also wish to help employees find jobs within the Nitra Region.
“We understand that our decision to close the plant in Nitra will impact our employees and their families,” said CEO of G+D Mobile Security, Lars Hoppe, as quoted by Sme. “Thus, we are ready to offer them all necessary collaboration in order to help them get through this change as seamlessly as possible.”
The German company is closing the Slovak plant due to the development in global production of cards. This procedure is part of the optimisation of the network of production plants.
In no way will the closure negatively impact customers, as the cards will be delivered from other plants still in operation. Slovak ID cards will not be impacted, either, as the Interior Ministry has a framework contract with Giesecke+Devrient Slovakia – the trade representation that will deliver the cards from a different plant.
The specific date of closure has not been published by the company as the layoffs and the disassembly of the production technologies will come in several phases, depending on how orders and production develop.
The Nitra plant of Giesecke+Devrient produces payment cards, fair copies of ID cards and professional chip cards along with SIM cards for mobile operators.
