“Since the acquisition, Zoltek has been able to maximize capacity while providing Toray with a key opportunity to expand into rapidly growing industries such as wind energy and the automotive sector,” said Tamás Sárközi, general manager of business administration at Zoltek Hungary.

Carbon fiber, the material of choice for designers and engineers, has remarkable performance characteristics. It is lightweight, flexible, resistant to heat and corrosion and offers high tensile strength qualities.

As European countries focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, especially in the energy and automotive industries, carbon fiber demand continues to rise. Driven by this demand, Zoltek started a significant investment — supported by the Hungarian government earlier this year — to expand its facilities and increase production.

“Through our agreement and Toray’s investment of over 100 million euros, we intend to increase our production capacity,” explained Sárközi. “By 2020, we will have increased production capacity by 50 percent and will be able to manufacture 15,000 tons of carbon fiber per year.”

The investment will also generate an additional 350 jobs in Hungary and increase Zoltek’s number of employees to approximately 1,700. Zoltek is working in close cooperation with the Hungarian government and academic institutions to educate the next generation of engineers.

“We support growing industries in Europe with sustainable materials while cultivating a culture of safety and productivity,” said Sárközi. “As we contribute to society through innovative ideas, technologies and products, we will continue to develop our people and grow our company.”

www.zoltek.com

“We have been advising and representing Japanese companies and investors with their legal issues for many years and continue to take every effort to encourage and support Japanese investment in Hungary,” said Zoltán Hegymegi-Barakonyi, current managing partner at Hegymegi-Barakonyi es Tarsa Baker & McKenzie.

“We assisted Japanese clients with legal and policy changes following Hungary’s European Union integration and today we help clients navigate the country’s rapid economic development and commercial opportunities.”

Hegymegi-Barakonyi es Tarsa Baker & McKenzie’s relations with Japanese investors have flourished since Eva Ganzenmüller-Nagy, a graduate of Osaka University’s Faculty of Law joined the firm almost 15 years ago. Fluent in Japanese, Ganzenmüller-Nagy actively manages the Japan Desk, advising on all business law inquiries of Japanese clients and representing them in connection with their operations in Hungary. Ganzenmüller-Nagy organizes presentations for the Japanese business community, covering topics such as developments in the Hungarian legal system and investment opportunities.

“Clients are challenged by the rapidly changing legal environment, the differences in the course of their business dealings and the characteristics of the Hungarian labor market. The Japan Desk at Baker McKenzie is uniquely positioned to provide tailor-made legal and practical solutions to these challenges because its specialists have an understanding of Japanese legal and cultural perspectives,” said Ganzenmüller- Nagy.

The firm is optimistic about the prospect of increased Japanese investment into Hungary.

“Japanese companies continue to bring their technologies and expertise to Hungary,” said Hegymegi-Barakonyi. “As these projects come to fruition, we are seeing companies expand into other European markets. We fully intend to support our Japanese clients as they expand their businesses across the continent.”

www.bakermckenzie.com/en/locations/emea/hungary

“We entered the Hungarian market in 2002 and have continued to strengthen our commitment to the country over the years,” Yoshimura said. “Our recent factory expansion is a direct reflection of the desire to grow our business, and we continue to develop our business as we grow our customer base across Europe. Our high-quality Hungarian colleagues are very productive and we are proud to be a major employer here in the region, and we will continue to invest in our people.”

The company opened its new factory last year for the production of instant noodle products for the Hungarian and other European markets. The fact that Japanese companies are noted for delivering quality products has enabled Nissin Foods to gain a strong reputation in Hungary.

“Japanese and Hungarian people share similar values and traits in terms of work ethics and their approaches to doing business,” said Yoshimura. “Both countries share a strong bond and are enjoying a strong economic relationship today.”

Producing products by locals for the local market, including the popular Smack noodle brand, as well as Cup Noodles, is important to Nissin Foods.

“We are seeing demand increase for our products both here in Hungary and across Europe as consumption for our range of food products increases,” said Yoshimura.

“We will build on our reputation for delicious quality food products and continue our three-minute global revolution within the food industry,” he said.

www.nissinfoods.hu
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As a midsize player in the pharmaceutical industry, Meditop specializes in products for the central nervous system (CNS). The company has 13 registered pharmaceutical patents with licenses in Hungary and other European markets.

Today, Meditop’s second-largest export market, after Germany, is Vietnam. The company has also reached out to Singapore.

Flagship products include the cognitive-enhancer Memoril (piracetam) and the muscle-relaxant Miderizone (tolperisone hydrochloride).

“We were the first company to develop the molecule tolperisone as a high-quality generic product,” said Ács. “This product is popular in Asia and is included in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.”

Meditop has recently signed partnerships across the European Union and Canada for the development of new products, aiming to expand its CNS line and secure a leading position in the industry.

“Meditop is an ideal partner for Japanese pharmaceutical companies such as Eisai, a company that also has very good CNS products,” explained Ács. “We are able to register, launch, distribute and promote products, not only in Hungary, but also across Europe.”

“We want to establish synergies with other small and midsized pharmaceutical companies around the world,” concluded Greskovits. “Our size allows us to fully commit ourselves to developing partnerships with key industry players to create win-win ventures.”

www.meditop.hu

Over the last decade, JTI Hungary has become the fastest-growing tobacco company in the country. According to the National Tobacco Trade Nonprofit Company, the company’s market share grew from 2.9 percent in 2008 to 15.9 percent in 2017, making JTI Hungary the third-largest tobacco company in the country.

JTI Hungary is also proud to have been recognized as a top employer in Hungary for the sixth consecutive year.

“Through our agile team, we aim to increase the sales of our global flagship brands in Hungary,” said Gordic. “With a global and dynamic outlook and a strong Japanese heritage, JTI is driven by its long-term vision and desire to deliver the highest-quality products. We also recognize the importance of sharing our success by contributing to the communities in which we operate.”

JTI Hungary’s community investment initiatives include a program to bring Japanese culture closer to the Hungarian people. In cooperation with local Japanese stakeholders, the company is looking forward to events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Japanese-Hungarian diplomatic ties.

www.jti.com/europe/hungary

Friedrich was introduced to Mitutoyo while studying at university. Impressed by the company’s cutting-edge technology, he joined Mitutoyo and was provided a scholarship by the company to attain his Ph.D.

“It is a great honor for me to work for Mitutoyo and my wish is that more people understand the important solutions Mitutoyo delivers while developing and investing in its workforce,” said Friedrich.

With dynamic automotive sectors and ongoing developments toward “Industry 4.0” and the “industrial internet of things,” European markets are today among the most important for Mitutoyo. The company’s Hungarian operations have nearly tripled in size since Friedrich became the director a decade ago.

Earlier this year, Audi established a fully-automated electric-engine production facility in Hungary. The company uses Mitutoyo’s complex measurement solutions in its entire production process.

“In industrial engineering, mass-production, prototyping and research and development, everything must be measured,” explained Friedrich. “Mitutoyo supports industries across Hungary and provides consulting and knowledge-transfer.”

As an honorary associate professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Friedrich is strengthening Mitutoyo’s relationships with academic institutions to train the next generation of engineers. The company was also a proud, strategic skill-sponsor of the prestigious EuroSkills competition held in Budapest earlier this year.

www.mitutoyo.hu

“My team and I are shifting our company’s mission in Hungary by becoming more than a product-driven company delivering cameras, copiers and printers,” explained van ’t Ooster. “As one of the leaders in this industry, we intend to be a guide for businesses and consumers as they make full use of our new innovations and technologies.”

The company is assisting corporate clients by delivering office solutions designed to make businesses run more efficiently.

One of van ’t Ooster’s key priorities is to strengthen the company’s partnerships with industrial printing companies in Hungary and introduce digital printing solutions to take the industry to the next level.

“While technology drives innovation, nurturing the mindset of corporate leaders as they grow their businesses is very important in terms of building successful, long-term partnerships,” said van ’t Ooster.

Canon Hungaria also inspires individual customers through encouragement and support. The tagline “Live for the Story” moves customers to go beyond capturing images and photographs toward creating stories, memories and experiences that can be relived and shared.

Innovations such as the Canon Photo Companion app, allows users to improve their photography skills, manage and process images and create the stories of their lives.

“Surveys show a high satisfaction rate with Canon’s products and services in Europe — we will ensure this continues in Hungary while we strengthen our partnerships across the country,” concluded van ’t Ooster.

www.canon.hu

“We have been No. 1 in new car sales in Hungary for the last two years and will strengthen our position in the market with our new products,” said Abe. In the first half of 2018, the company’s market share increased to 16.3 percent, in comparison to 12.44 percent from the same period of the previous year.

Locally produced, innovative and reliable vehicles have enabled MSC to achieve success in Hungary. The company is also committed to supporting its distribution network and delivering first-class customer care.

MSC’s 76 car, 17 motorcycle and nine marine dealerships across Hungary deliver Suzuki vehicles, motorbikes and outboard motors to customers.

“In Hungary, our sales and marketing teams are working to ensure the Suzuki brand is at the forefront of customers’ minds,” said Abe.

“We must work hard to keep our leading market position and do not intend to rest on our laurels. We continually invest in our facilities and we are implementing innovative technologies in several of our production processes to create a smart factory environment.”

In 2012, MSC entered into a strategic partnership with the Hungarian government to contribute to the development of the country’s automotive industry.

Four years later saw the company complete the large-scale automation and robotization of its facility where today, 770 robots work across the production process.

MSC’s commitment to Hungary continues through innovation- led projects in cooperation with universities, research facilities and suppliers. Currently around 1.748 billion euros has been invested.

Projects include investments in welding robot networks, the modernization of production logistics systems, the adoption of innovative laser welding technologies and the development of new, cost-effective polymers. These projects will enable MSC to produce increasingly advanced, more competitive and safer Suzuki prototypes by the year 2020.

“We are proud of our achievements in Hungary and our successes prove that Japan and Hungary are able to work closely together,” said Abe.

“Our employees in Hungary continue to contribute to our success and we will strengthen our commitment to Hungary as we grow our business here.”

www.suzuki.hu

Today, Fanuc supports automotive manufacturing companies in Hungary as they lead the shift toward “Industry 4.0.” The company has assisted local automotive original equipment manufacturers by installing over 2,500 robots on the production lines in different factories across the country.

“An increasing number of companies want to advance their operations and our automation solutions contribute to lower energy consumption, increased productivity and improvements in the quality of our clients’ finished products,” explained Mezei.

“We work in highly competitive and innovation-driven industries — all of which have a very bright future. It is my priority to continue to further develop our local team of experienced professionals and support our young, talented engineers here in Hungary.”

www.fanuc.eu/hu

“Our highly motivated workforce remains one of our key strengths,” said Human Resources Manager Mihály Giber.

“We introduce our employees to the AGC Excellence System, impart our values and provide them with the tools required to further their careers. We also implement their ideas, encouraging them take ownership and pride in what they do.”

AGC Glass Hungary is active within the local community through academic partnerships and scholarships while also supporting events in Tatabanya.

“We have over 40,000 square meters of greenfield land available to us for further expansion and we see opportunities for growth in the next few years,” said Tisza-Kiss.

“Our priority is to look for opportunities for further expansion while focusing on productivity-related projects and energy-saving initiatives to further develop our reputation within the industry.”

www.agc-glass.eu/en