Even in a difficult economic environment, HAJDU Autotechnika Zrt. managed to expand in 2024, and in 2025 the company plans to advance primarily through its tool manufacturing division. The company is also planning a green investment, revealed Anna Dedéné Novotni, Vice President of the Board at HAJDU Autotechnika Zrt.

Q: How do you see the market for sheet metal forming and plastic injection molds? What trends and tendencies are emerging in the industry?

  • The recessionary and uncertain economic environment strongly affects the initiation of new projects, and thus the related tool manufacturing. Based on our experience, many new model launches are being postponed or suspended. In the smaller market, competition is very strong. Two trends are noticeable: some partners prefer to work with Far Eastern, mainly Chinese and Korean tool manufacturers, in which case European production is not competitive. On the other hand, there are partners who specifically favor European manufacturers, and this is the market segment we primarily operate in.

Despite the challenging market, we secured several new deals in 2024 and expanded our partner base. This fortunate position means that in the first half of the year, our tool shop is nearly fully booked, and our project engineers will remain fully engaged.

Q: What is the situation in sheet metal processing and forming?

  • We are observing a significant decrease in volumes in the market. Relatively few new projects are starting, and partners often delay or suspend launches, adopting a “wait and see” approach. However, compared to previous years, potential customers are much more open to engaging with new suppliers. This is likely driven by both the search for cost reduction opportunities and the management of financial, supply, and delivery risks in the supply chain.

Q: Are material types and grades changing with the rise of electric vehicles?

  • Vehicle weight is particularly critical for electric cars. As a result, various alloy materials are coming to the forefront.

Q: What technological innovations did HAJDU introduce in 2024?

  • At the beginning of the year, we upgraded to a new version of our integrated IT system. Following a successful upgrade, the focus was on digitally tracking our material flows, implementing an MES system, and using it to increase the efficiency of our production processes. This complex task will continue into 2025.

Q: Have the strengthening ESG regulations presented new challenges?

  • As with all responsible companies, sustainability is a priority for the HAJDU Group. We have always been attentive to our environment and are proud to have been among the first companies in Hungary to implement ISO 14001 standards, which we continue to develop and maintain. Employee satisfaction and loyalty have always been central to our operations. Our work has been recognized with several awards for being a responsible employer and an ethically operating company. We also have been assessed in the ECOVADIS system for many years.

We particularly welcome the formalization of sustainability requirements into law. For the upcoming business year, we must prepare our ESG report. At the same time, even though we are not required to produce ESG reports for our suppliers, we must meet their ESG-related expectations. The framework for our ESG system is already under development, with most related work scheduled for 2025.

Q: Which business segment performed best in 2024, and where was the impact of weaker industry performance felt?

  • Revenue from the components segment will be lower than in 2023, while revenue from tool manufacturing is expected to slightly exceed the base. The decline in components revenue is linked to a weaker automotive sector and the economic recession.

Q: Your headquarters is in Téglás, Hajdú region, where the arrival of BMW has triggered a wave of industrial companies. How does the competition for employees affect your company?

  • Competition for employees is very strong in the region, resulting in unrealistically high wages for several positions. While this is positive for employees, it negatively affects profitability in the short term and poses risks for long-term competitiveness. This situation also encourages turnover, increasing replacement time and costs. Workers from third countries have appeared in the region, which does not reduce employer costs but alleviates labor shortages and improves workforce availability.

Overall, it is essential for every business to focus strongly on improving efficiency.

Q: Do you have dual education partnerships with the University of Debrecen or other secondary institutions?

  • Yes, we have several dual students and also host many students for practical training in both technical and administrative fields. In parallel, several students work part-time alongside their studies. We hope that many young people will choose to stay with us after completing their studies.

 

Q: What are the company’s plans for 2025?

  • We plan a very dynamic and busy year. In 2024, we secured several new customers and additional projects with existing clients. Based on this, despite market caution, we plan significant growth of 15% in 2025. Our tool shop will be running at full capacity, which is very encouraging. Of course, the entire organization must commit to achieving this intensive growth successfully. We will continue to transform our portfolio and expand our customer base. Improving liquidity and efficiency will also receive priority. Administrative processes, both HR and financial, will be enhanced. In addition, we will address NIS2 and ESG requirements in a project-structured approach.

We also plan investments, including a major energy development: constructing an 800 kW solar power plant, which will significantly increase our share of green energy and reduce environmental impact, contributing to protecting our planet.

Source: autopro.hu