Posted by: Gabor Grenczer, Counsellor, Economy and Trade Posted on: Thursday 27 January 2011, 16:39

US-based National Instruments (NI), which makes industrial gauges and control systems, on Monday inaugurated a HUF 500m production line at its plant in Debrecen, (E Hungary).

The production line is the plant's seventh, said NI Hungary managing director Laszlo Abraham. An eighth line will be installed in the spring, he added. Both lines cost a combined HUF 1bn. State support for the HUF 1bn investments comes to HUF 200m. About 1,100 people work at NI's base in Debrecen, turning out more than 2,000 different products. Each day, NI adds another 3-4 new products to the palette. Production at the plant grows 15-20 pc a year and about 18 pc of revenue is spent on R+D, Mr Abraham said.

The base exports to more than 50 countries. NI has decided to set up a European system engineer centre in Budapest, Mr Abraham said. The centre will start operating in just a few weeks.