Mladá Boleslav, 1st October 2013 – That’s the main finding from the Central Europe (CE) Top 500 report, carried out by respected auditing firm Deloitte. It’s the largest study of its kind on the region’s economy, and is based on sales figures from 2012.
ŠKODA is placed third among companies across all industrial sectors for the third time in a row. The CE Top 500 includes a total of 84 Czech companies. ŠKODA’s position as number one reflects the traditional car manufacturer’s outstanding reputation, sales and development.
“ŠKODA is an important part of the Czech economy and has become an internationally recognised volume manufacturer,” said Bohdan Wojnar, ŠKODA Board Member for Human Resources.
This is the seventh time that Deloitte has published the CE Top 500. Companies from a total of 18 countries were included in the study.
In 2012, ŠKODA reported a turnover of €10.4 billion, making it by far the highest-revenue manufacturing company in the area. Delivering 939,200 vehicles, up 6.8% on the 2011 total, the Czech manufacturer achieved a new sales record in 2012. Its operating profit was €712 million.
ŠKODA is set to grow even further in the years ahead. Its well-publicised growth strategy targets an increase in worldwide annual sales to at least 1.5 million by 2018. To achieve that, the most ambitious new product launch in the brand’s 118-year history is underway. In 2013 alone, the brand has launched seven new or completely revised models.
At the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, the company presented two world premieres – the all-new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback and the completely revised ŠKODA Yeti. This vehicle has now been split into two distinct model ranges, the ŠKODA Yeti for the city and the ŠKODA Yeti Outdoor for the more adventurous owner.
As part of its growth plans, ŠKODA is set to expand in the international emerging markets of China, India and Russia. The company is also investing heavily in its home market to support its position in Europe. In 2012 alone, the company’s fixed asset investments increased by around 45% to a record €832 million. The vast majority of this was allotted to investments in the Czech Republic.
The main production plant in Mladá Boleslav has been extensively modernised and expanded to accommodate production of the ŠKODA Rapid and Rapid Spaceback, plus the new ŠKODA Octavia. The Technology & Development Centre in nearby Cesana is currently being extended. Around €34 million has been invested in the construction of a new Powertrain Centre alone.
The importance of ŠKODA for the Czech economy is reflected in the numerous awards is has received. This year, the manufacturer won the ‘Czech Top 100’ competition for the 16th time. Victory in the individual category of ‘Most Admired Company’ also went to ŠKODA.
Article source: www.skoda.co.uk