Association for Foreign Investment

2005/06/08, Already the fifth year of the award for the most important investors granted in cooperation with CzechInvest and under the auspices of the Ministray of Industry and Trade

INVESTOR OF THE YEAR 2004 Awards for greatest economic benefit go to Japanese Daikin, Taiwanese ASUS and Czech Škoda Auto PRAGUE, June 7, 2004 The most important investors that decided this past year to invest into manufacturing, R&D and business support services in the Czech Republic received the INVESTOR OF THE YEAR 2004 awards today from Czech ministers. During this fifth annual awards ceremony held at the Troja Chateau the investment projects with the greatest benefit to the development of the Czech economy were awarded in three categories: Greatest Economic Benefit – New Investment 1st Place Daikin Device Czech Republic s.r.o. for their project to product compressors in Brno – investment worth 124 mil. EUR, 807 new jobs positions 2nd Place Benteler Automotive Rumburk s.r.o. for their project to produce axles and automotive safety components in Rumburk – investment worth 52 mil. EUR, 352 new job positions 3rd Place RWE SCHOTT Solar CR, s.r.o. for their project to produce solar modules in Valasske Mezirici – investment worth 47 mil. EUR, 322 new job positions Greatest Economic Benefit – Expansion 1st Place ASUS Czech s.r.o. for their European centre to produce and service computers in Ostrava – investment worth 13.6 mil. EUR, 1950 new job positions 2nd Place BOSCH DIESEL s.r.o. for their project to produce pumps and pressure tanks in Jihlava – investment worth 106.4 mil. EUR, 368 new positions 3rd Place RONAL CR s.r.o. for their project to produce automotive aluminium discs in Pardubice – investment worth 67 mil. EUR, 500 new job positions Investment with the Greatest Innovation Potential 1st Place SKODA AUTO a.s. for their technology centre for research, development and testing of passenger cars in Mlada Boleslav (Central Bohemia) – total investment: 40 mil. EUR, of which investment into training: 1.7 mil. EUR 370 new job positions requiring a university education 2nd Place Tyco Integrated Systems s.r.o. for their centre to develop mechanics and electronics for products of fire detection systems and electronic equipment for wireless communications in Brno – total planned investment into training: up to 4.3 mil. EUR 3rd Place Ricardo Prague s.r.o. for their project in R&D of combustion engines and other components in Prague – total investment: 3.56 mil. EUR, of which investment into training: 1.3 mil. EUR ________________________________________________________________________________ Special award conferred by the Association for Foreign Investment – AFI for Siemens’ outstanding contribution to the development of foreign investment in the Czech Republic received by Ing. Pavel Kafka, CEO of Siemens s.r.o. and Siemens’ representative in the Czech Republic “The Czech Republic has had a very strong position in foreign direct investment for several years now: in per capita terms we are one of the three (together with Estonia and Hungary) most successful countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Investors’ trust and positive experience and references are an important prerequisite for gaining service projects and technology centres, which are increasing more and more – and these award-winning companies are clear proof of that. In order to maintain this trend, however, we must strengthen technical education and its close ties with the private sector,” said CzechInvest’s CEO Radomil Novak during the ceremony. To be eligible for the INVESTOR OF THE YEAR awards companies must have submitted their investment plan in 2004 and either have received or will receive investment incentives. The evaluation criteria comes from the companies’ application for investment incentives, where the company undertakes to invest a certain amount and to create a minimum number of direct, new job positions. Projects were evaluated by a committee consisting of representatives of the Office of the Government, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Finance and CzechInvest. Greatest Economic Benefit – New Investment Criteria: investor must have submitted their investment plan in 2004 – new investment Calculation: (total amount of investment in CZK) x (newly created jobs) x (level of company benefit based on unemployment rate) Greatest Economic Benefit – Expansion Criteria: investor must have submitted their investment plan in 2004 – reinvestment Calculation: (total amount of investment in CZK) x (newly created jobs) x (level of company benefit based on unemployment rate) Investment with the Greatest Innovation Potential Criteria: investor must have submitted their investment plan in 2004 – technology centre Calculation: (number of university-educated employees) x (total investment into training)