HUNGARY: JCI starts car seat production at new facility

Johnson Controls has launched production at a new seating facility in Kecskemét, Hungary. The just-in-time (JIT) plant supplies complete seat systems for the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

"We are proud to support Mercedes Benz's new car manufacturing plant in Kecskémet and also establish our own operations in the region," said Péter Dallos, plant manager of the Johnson Controls Kecskémet facility.

This plant currently employs 130 people. An additional 70 jobs will be created later this year (autumn) when a second shift is added.

"Before joining Johnson Controls, all production team members were unemployed," said Dallos. "The profound education they received from the Labour Center of Kecskemét and the Türr István Training and Research Institute provided all required skills. This puts us in a position to serve our customer's uncompromising quality standards from the beginning."

Johnson Controls recently launched production of the seating system for the first and second seat row for the B-Class at the Kecskemét plant. A large number of different types of seats are manufactured in the plant. The different types include a standard or sport seat, and variations of color, material, and special equipment, such as airbags or seat heat.

Johnson Controls Automotive Experience has been in Hungary since 2007. In addition to Kecskemét, the company operates plants elsewhere that produce metal seating components. In 2010, Johnson Controls acquired the Seton Hungary plant based in Pápa, which produces leather-wrapped car interior components.

The new plant increases the company's number of employees in Hungary to 2500.