Chinese Hisense opens a new R&D hub, automotive giant Magna closes its paint shop in Slovenia – but sets up a development center, while Japanese Daihen invests in the production of large welding robotic cells in its Lendava's Daihen-Varstroj plant.
Chinese Hisense opened a new R&D hub in Velenje in February. The new center will develop household appliances for the European market and kitchen and premium appliances for the global market. Hisense bought the Velenje based home appliances maker Gorenje in 2018. The Chinese group invested around 2 million euros in the new facility. The launch is also the start of “a larger project of investments in household appliances, which will last until November 2024 and will involve an investment of around 39 million euros”. In March Japanese Daihen announced that it will expand production capacities in its Lendava based Daihen-Varstroj. The Japanese corporation took over welding machinery producer Varstroj in 2014. The 2.5 million euros of investments will allow Daihen-Varstroj to produce robotic cells of the largest kind. The international automotive group Magna announced that it will close its paint shop in Hoče near Maribor: Magna instead plans to use the facilities for a new development center.
