Hyundai Mobis making lamps in its Czech plant

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Hyundai Mobis making lamps in its Czech plant

Hyundai Mobis, the auto parts manufacturer arm of Hyundai Motor Group, started mass production of vehicle lights in its Czech factory Wednesday.

Hyundai Mobis invested 140 billion won ($122.8 million) in the project. The factory alone measures 54,000 square meters and sits on 190,000 square meters of land in Mosnov. It has the capacity to manufacture 75,000 pairs each of headlights and taillights per year.

Manufactured lamps will be assembled in Hyundai Motor’s Czech factory and Kia Motors’ Slovakia factory, which are less than two hours away from the new factory. Previously, Hyundai had to ship lamps made in Korea’s factory to Europe, which took at least a month from Busan to Slovenia’s Koper port.

Lamps purposed for after-service will also be made in Mosnov and shipped to Hyundai Mobis’ regional storage in Slovakia. This will reduce the time that drivers waited to exchange lamps and increase overall consumer satisfaction.

Lights play a critical role in the car’s design. It is also a high-value component that requires technical know-how.

“We operate factories that specialize in producing core auto parts in every continent and the Czech lamp factory is our first to be built in Europe,” said a Hyundai Mobis spokesman.

In the long run, the production facility in the Czech Republic is part of Hyundai Mobis’ goal to strengthen its position in Europe and boost orders from the region’s carmakers.

“Our plan is to develop the Czech factory into a major core auto parts manufacturing facility based in Europe,” said a company statement, which implies that the factory could manufacture other core components. A Hyundai Mobis spokesman said the company would assess the lamp production before considering expansion.

“A local manufacturing facility is a necessary factor in producing auto parts that abide to the exporting countries’ environment and regulations,” said Mobis Vice President Jeon Yong-deok.

Having manufactured its first auto lamp in 2009, Hyundai Mobis has rapidly strengthened its position worldwide and is currently a supplier to many global auto makers including Volkswagen, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Subaru.

It has lamp factories in Mexico and China, an audio factory in India, an airbag factory in Shanghai and a brake parts facility in Wuxi, China.


BY SONG KYOUNG-SON [song.kyoungson@joongang.co.kr]




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