The country with 5.4 million inhabitants produces 1 million cars - How did Slovakia manage to gather so many car manufacturers?
Slovakia, which has a population of 5.4 million, produces almost one million cars a year. This number is small compared to the world's largest manufacturers, such as China, which produces an impressive 31 million cars a year. However, Slovakia is the number one producer per capita in relation to the number of its inhabitants.
Kia's giant plant in Zilina, Slovakia, can produce 350,000 cars a year and represents an investment of 2.5 billion euros. Volkswagen also makes cars in Slovakia, as do Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover. Volvo will open an electric car factory in Slovakia in 2027.
Kia says the average salary at its Slovakian factory is 2,400 euros per month. That's significantly higher than the country's average monthly salary across the economy, which according to official figures was 1,403 euros in 2023. But, at the same time, it's significantly lower than the EU-wide average, which is 3,417 euros.
Another important advantage of Slovakia is its dense network of automotive suppliers. About 360 companies work for this industry. The Slovak government offers these incentives to automakers because the benefits for the country are huge.
At the Technical School in Zilina, 100 students are participating in a "dual program" funded by Kia, in which they alternate between studying and working at the factory.
Meanwhile, at the University of this city, around 400 of its graduates find jobs each year related to the automotive industry.
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