PRECISION AND
FLEXIBILITY
APAG Elektronik s.r.o. based in Pardubice in the Czech Republic is a subsidiary of the Swiss APAG Elektronik AG. Its core business is the production of printed circuit boards using the SMT and THT technologies, and the production of electronic systems for the automotive sector. Executive director Ladislav Hrdý spoke to Romana Moares about the history of the company in the Czech Republic and its future prospects.
T
he company was established as Bohemiatech s.r.o. in 1993 and only three years later APAG Elektronik AG became its biggest customer. In 2007, the company was taken over by the Swiss manufacturer and became its fully owned subsidiary. APAG Elektronik AG was founded in 1975 to produce and sell electronic measurement and control devices, to major European customers, such as electronic modules for the automotive sector, consumer products, power tools, building automation industries and general industrial applications. Today the company employs 180 staff (50 of which are in product development) and has several operational facilities in Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The Czech subsidiary is based in Pardubice in north-east Bohemia (some 100km from
40 Industry Europe
Prague) and operates on a 3000m2 site (of which 1000 m2 are production halls). Despite the recession, it has grown steadily: in 2011 the company employed over 140 people and achieved a turnover of €10.5 million. Forecasts reflect a positive market trend – it is estimated that the figure will rise to €13 million in 2012.
Fast and flexible In the beginning the company supplied to other sectors, but since it became part of APAG 100 per cent of its components are sold to the automotive industry. “Prospects in Europe are good,” says Ladislav Hrdý, the executive director of the Czech plant. “We supply to German car manufacturers such as BMW, Audi, Porsche, VW and Bentley which are in excellent shape. On top of that, most of our customers make
the upper market end cars, the sales of which are forecast to increase in the next few years. This is our advantage,” he claims, but does not exclude the possibility that in the future his plant will again supply to other sectors as well. The Czech manufacturer’s competitive advantages include long-term experience in the sector (tier 1 and tier N), a profound knowledge of specifications within the automotive industry, the achievement of ISO/TS 16 949 and ISO 14001 certificates, first-class production technology (SMT, AOI / X-ray lines, a nitrogen atmosphere for wave and reflow soldering). To improve its production process, the company has recently implemented iTAC software for traceability and for production synergy. “We are a relatively small company so we can provide a flexible and fast response to customer requirements,” adds Mr Hrdý.
