Development of a Company Is Not Only about Innovation

BUSINESS Development of a Company Is Not Only about Innovation, But Mainly about People Martin Bednarz is the board chairman of Škoda Vagonka. As a top manager, he worked in Tatra and Vítkovice Machinery Group. He is a graduate of the Ostrava Technical University (VŠB) and a devout supporter of the Baník Ostrava football team. pět týdnů dovolené, příspěvek na stravování, možnost jazykové výuky, poukázky Flexi Pass v hodnotě 400 korun měsíčně, zvýhodněné pojištění odpovědnosti nebo očkování proti chřipce zdarma. Letos došlo také ke zvýšení příspěvku na penzijní nebo životní pojištění. Nyní tento benefit, který využívá většina zaměstnanců, představuje 1200 korun měsíčně. Nejen prací je člověk živ. Jak se projevuje společenská odpovědnost firmy v kraji, podporujete sport nebo kulturu? Škoda Vagonka spolupracuje například s Dolní oblastí Vítkovice, podporuje fotbalový klub Baník Ostrava, přispívá organizacím pro podporu onkologicky nemocných pacientů nebo je také součásti sdružení pro rozvoj Moravskoslezského kraje a sponzoruje další kulturní a společenské aktivity v Moravskoslezském kraji. Děkujeme Vám za rozhovor. Redakce magazínu. Mr. Bednarz, you have been working in the industrial companies in the region for many years. Now you are introducing a new project, “Nová Vagonka.” Can you familiarise us with it? The Škoda Transportation group had a record year in 2019, closing deals that add up to about 45 billion CZK. To accommodate these newly acquired deals, we found that we would need to double the production space we have in Ostrava. Nová Vagonka is therefore a development project worth about 1 billion CZK. It includes the key development of production capacity in Ostrava over the next two years--this includes not only the aforementioned investment, but also new employees in order to increase production and productivity. The goal is a great increase in the effectiveness and capacity of train production. We should reach full working order within two years, however, most of the key steps will be taken in the following twelve months. We will expand the enterprise’s area by 60,000 square meters; the biggest structure will be a new paint shop. We will also be acquiring new welding lines. Currently, we can produce a single weldment of the wagon constructions in about five days, however, after development, we can expect up to a single weldment unit every day. Ostrava will also become the focus of all the technological know-how in the fields of control, multimedia and diagnostic systems from our subsidiary company Škoda Digital. The development of a company is not only about innovation, but also about people. Can we therefore expect that an increase in production will lead to an increase in employment? Yes. Currently, Škoda Vagonka employs about 450 people, and in accordance with the development plans, this will increase to 900. Doubling the employee count will take place across all fields, from regular laborers, aluminium welders, electricians to locksmiths, developers and planners. A big advantage to working with our company is the opportunity to work on large projects and seeing the fruits of our labor, going from small parts to the final complete vehicle and handing it to the customer. The main brunt of the work will be focused on single-storey electric vehicles for customers in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Latvia, and pushpull sets for the Moravian-Silesian Region. For example, we will be delivering thirty-two modern single-storey units to the Latvian state railways for suburban transport. Recently, a collective agreement with a 5% increase in wages was signed. It also included many other benefits, which include five weeks of holidays, a catering allowance, the opportunity for language schooling, a Flexi pass for 400 CZK a month, advantages of liability insurance, and flu vaccination. This year, there was also an increase to the pension or life insurance bonus, which is widely used by our employees, and now amounts to 1200 CZK per month. It is not only work that makes one alive. What is the company’s social responsibility in the region -- do you support sports or cultural activities? Škoda Vagonka works with Dolní Oblast Vítkovice, for example, supports the Baník Ostrava Football Club and organizations that support oncological patients. It is also part of the association for the development of the Moravian-Silesian Region and backs other cultural and social activities in the region. Thank you for the interview. -editorialText: redakce Foto: archiv ŠKODA VAGONKA a.s. www.vagonka.cz POSITIV 1/2020 ǀ 17