Trip to Györ

Highlight was a visit to Audi Hungaria. Afterwards the UNESCO world heritage site Pannonhalma was visited, including its wine-production-facilities and wine-tasting.

The commercial part of the trip was a visit to "Audi Hungaria", the Hungarian subsidiary of Audi AG., where a broad range of engines and a limited range of Audi vehicles are assembled. Then the trade delegates visited the UNESCO world heritage site Pannonhalma, one of the most significant Benedictine monasteries in Europe, and were given a guided tour through the wine cellars.
 
Representatives of "Audi Hungaria" gave a presentation of the company (including a promotional video) and then took the trade delegates on  a 1 ½ hour guided tour through the engine-production and car-assembly plant.
 
At the end of 2010, a workforce of 6,138 (5,624) was employed by Audi hungaria Motos PLC in Györ.  A total of 1,648,030 engines were produced there in 2010 (2009: 1,383,909). This was a 19 percent increase on the output of the previous year.  Engines for a wide range of VW, Audi and Porsche vehicles are produced in the plant here.  In addition, 38,541 vehicles (2009: 32,603) were produced in Györ, representing an increase of 18.2 percent compared to the previous year.

The business outlook for the coming years is definitely favourable.  Rupert Stadler, chairman of the Audi AG board of directors, announced in September 2010 that Audi would make an additional investment of around 900 million euros in Györ. This will extend the present engine and vehicle production to cover all aspects of the manufacturing process. From 2013, 125,000 vehicles will come off the production lines every year.
 
After the visit to the Audi production site, the delegation was taken by bus to the Bennedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma.  Pannonhalma has a 1000 year-old history and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The history of the abbey was presented to the trade delegates during a very informative guided tour. The last item on the agenda was a visit of the modern wine-production-facilities of the abbey including a wine-tasting.
 
Sincere thanks are expressed to the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna for their part in the organising of this interesting and enjoyable trip to Györ.