Ventspils – leader of Latvian automotive industry

During the last three years, Latvia shows rapid heap in car manufacturing. Ventspils is becoming the leader of Latvian automotive industry. According to the rating compiled by the Bank of Latvia, the list of ten largest companies of this industry includes three companies operating in the territory of the Freeport of Ventspils – Bucher Municipal, Malmar Sheet Metal and TC Steel.

Total turnover of the companies included among the largest ones was 176.5 million euro last year. Export accounts for more than 90% of the industry’s turnover. Share of the companies of Ventspils in the total turnover is 68 million euro or 38.5%. Ventspils takes 1st position in TOP 10 of automotive companies, followed by Jelgava, Rēzekne and Riga.

Leader of Latvian automotive industry – LLC (SIA) Bucher Municipal, affiliate of the Swiss group of companies Bucher Industries AG

LLC (SIA) Bucher Municipal is an affiliate of the Swiss group of companies Bucher Industries AG, leading European manufacturer of street cleaning and snow removal trucks. Bucher Municipal commenced operation in Ventspils with the assembly of separate components of utility trucks – waste bins, chassis etc. Finished components were afterwards sent to the parent company located in Switzerland. In 2015, first full-cycle utility truck assembly line – from metal cutting to receipt of finished truck from a conveyor – was shifted from Switzerland to Ventspils. In 2016–2017, shifting of full-cycle lines from Great Britain and Switzerland to Ventspils was continued. At the moment, full-cycle conveyor lines deliver six models of utility trucks, assembled from scratch.

During the last five years, the company has nearly tripled turnover, which has grown by 30.4 million euro, but number of employees has nearly doubled!

At the same time, ­Bucher Municipal continues investing in the development of the production unit, expansion of assembly and welding areas up to 3’000 square metres, arrangement of testing facility, where all ready products will be tested. Furthermore, development of automatic warehouses in the company is in progress.

Clients of Malmar Sheet Metal – world class companies Volvo/Renault GroupCaterpillar, Siemens, Scania and Mitsubishi

Belgian company LLC (SIA) Malmar Sheet Metal manufactures equipment and parts for cars, trucks, tractors and buses manufactured by globally recognised manufacturers – Volvo/Renault GroupCaterpillar, Atlas Copco, Cargo Tec, Siemens, Scania, Mitsubishi etc.

Malmar Sheet Metal invests funds in new equipment, technologies and human resources on regular basis. In 2016, investments accounted for 1.5 million euro, last year – 1.3 million, but at the end of August this year reached 1.4 million euro. Malmar Sheet Metal has the most up-to date equipment in Europe. During the recent years, the number of clients of this company of Ventspils is constantly growing.

TC Steel

TC Steel operates in the territory of the Freeport of Ventspils. Export accounts for 99% of the total sales of the company’s products – mainly to Scandinavia, where this company of Ventspils is a well-known supplier.

TC Steel manufactures containers of various volumes – from 7 to 46 cubic metres – for the transportation of waste and other bulk cargoes, as well as truck platforms for transportation of tractors and other construction machinery. The company is the largest one in its segment in Latvia and among five largest companies in the Baltic States.

Manufacture of containers and truck platforms was commenced in 2010 in a production unit, where mere five people were employed, but now the number of the company’s employees has reached 80. Besides manufacture of finished containers and truck platforms, the company develops its own designing solutions and plans for further expansion.