28/6/2024 |Articles are machine translated
Representatives of the awarded companies, from left: David Kubalka (3M Česko, spol. s r.o.), Patrik Hudec (exe, a.s., odštěpný závod), Martin Jahn - prezident AutoSAPu, Margita Rejchrtová (Tawesco Automotive s.r.o.), Michal Kadera (Škoda Auto a.s.), David Kříž (Iveco Czech Republic, a. s.) a Petr Michník (Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech s.r.o.). | Photo: Josef Horázný
For the twenty-sixth time, the Automotive Industry Association has announced the winners of the Automotive Business of the Year competition. As in previous years, this year’s edition, which assessed the basic economic results of companies in 2023, announced a total of six most successful companies, divided into two categories according to the number of employees – up to 250 and over 250 people. The award ceremony and the presentation of iconic glass sculptures of horses to the winners took place during the Automotive Leaders Forum 2024 social evening in Prague.
In the Automotive Business of the Year competition, the basic economic results achieved for the year 2023 were assessed. The evaluation was based on the following criteria:
All criteria were weighted equally and the final ranking of firms was determined by the sum of the rankings according to each criterion. A total of 76 companies participated in this year’s competition.
In alphabetical order within the category, the following companies became the Czech Automotive Companies of the Year:
Companies of the Year with up to 250 employees
Companies of the Year with more than 250 employees
The awarded companies received handmade original glass sculptures in the shape of a horse from the workshop of glass master Lukáš Šulc from Železný Brod.
3M Česko, spol. s r.o. is part of a leading global technology company headquartered in St. Paul, USA, that has been developing innovative products and solutions for a variety of industries for over 120 years. It has a sales and technical team in Prague with its own innovation and technical center for the development and testing of customer applications, which focuses on competencies related to auto electrification for the Czech and European markets. 3M is looking to the future through the lens of sustainability and in the industrial sector is focusing on topics related to decarbonisation, automation and safe working environments.
exe, a.s., odštěpný závod.Technology is fundamentally changing the definition of a successful business. As an exe, we have been adding value in the IT world for more than 30 years. We are constantly working to improve customer outcomes with our solutions in the areas of digitization, data analytics, AI, cybersecurity, IT outsourcing, virtual solutions and software licensing, thanks in large part to our long-standing partnership with Microsoft. Among other things, we also provide translation and localization services that support our clients’ product extensions using artificial intelligence.
Tawesco Automotive s.r.o. represents the production of pressed and welded steel and aluminium parts for the automotive industry in the passenger car and truck segment. The company has two production facilities in Úvaly and now in Pečky in the Central Bohemia Region, where production has moved from Prague-Letňany. Production is primarily focused on pressed parts, which are then welded into higher assemblies by resistance and laser welding, including welding in a protective atmosphere. The company also produces and delivers parts with surface treatments. The customers of Tawesco Automotive Ltd. are almost all representatives of automotive brands in Europe.
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech s.r.o. Hyundai has been operating in Nošovice since 2008 and has produced over 4 million cars in that time. These include the Tucson SUV, the i30 compact car and the Kona Electric. Already 41% of the vehicles produced are hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure electric. In 2023, Nosovice will produce 340,500 cars, up 5% year-on-year and the most since 2017.
Iveco Czech Republic, a. s. is a company that has been developing and manufacturing buses in Vysoké Mýto for almost 130 years and has become a key player in the global automotive industry in the field of bus production. The plant in Vysoké Mýto is the largest production plant of Iveco Bus and specializes in the production of intercity buses, specifically the CROSSWAY product line. The Crossway bus has become the most successful intercity bus of today with more than 65,000 units produced. With 4,200 employees, it is a major employer in the Czech Republic.
Škoda Auto a.s. is a Czech car manufacturer based in Mladá Boleslav. It was founded in 1895 and has since become one of the leading automobile manufacturers in Europe. The company is known for its innovative models, research, development and success in international markets. Since 1991, it has been part of the Volkswagen Group, which has allowed it to expand its global presence and strengthen its market position. Skoda produces various types of cars, including passenger vehicles, SUVs, and in recent years has focused on the development of electric vehicles and sustainable mobility. It is intensively pursuing the concept of sustainability – from 2021, the Vrchlabí plant is CO2-neutral and by the end of the decade, all Czech plants will be CO2-neutral. As part of social sustainability, the company tries to bring the concept of creating shared value (CSV) into its activities.
