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Labour force is the key factor for auto player’s location decision-making process – says Colliers International in its latest research report “The Road Kings: CEE Autos”
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Bratislava, 22.1.2018: The auto producers and component suppliers sector is very important in CEE industrial and is growing. Auto exports ranged from 4.7% of total exports in 2015 in Bulgaria, upwards to 28.0% in Hungary and 34.6% in Slovakia, growing at a regionally-weighted annual rate of 7.4% in the 2010-15 period.
The key findings of the report include:
Export dependency sustains take-up
With CEE-6 auto export firepower of EUR 134bn (2015) we believe that even moderate reinvestment and expansion capital expenditures are likely to sustain auto take-up in the region at over 1.1mn sqm in 2017 and c. 0.8mn sqm in 2018. CEE-6’s competitive advantages triggering this investment are still apparent.
Location drivers pivoting east
The conditions for locating fresh auto supplier production remain in place in most of the region. The price of labour is very low, the availability more plentiful the farther east one travels. Our overall survey assessment is that Bulgaria and the Czech Republic are most attractive within CEE-6 for a new auto supplier, though none of the countries score poorly.
Electric cars – a short–circuit?
CEE-6 autos have a high weight of internal combustion engine (ICE) production/component supply. This dependency, most acute in Hungary and Slovakia, is likely to require addressing in the mid-term, as manufacturers shift towards electric car production globally. Opportunities for other suppliers are likely to arise, as evidenced by recent investments such as Samsung SDI’s battery plant in Hungary.
Key drivers for location:
Labour force price and availability: Labour force price is the CEE’s main competitive advantage. The workforce education/skill levels are seen as very important in determining the location of auto players by our industrial agents in Slovakia and Hungary and important in Bulgaria.
Wage growth is accelerating (between 7.9% and 14.1% in the Industrial sector in the region in Q2 2017), a factor that we believe will sustain at least into 2018. Labour markets are tight. Evidence includes, first, that all the CEE-6 countries have low unemployment levels versus their history (and Czech Rep. with the lowest in the EU at just 2.9% according to Eurostat). Labour shortages are acting to constrict expansion of production.
Mark Robinson, Senior Researcher, CEE, Colliers International, explains:
“So it might be the availability rather than the cost of labour that becomes more of an issue. This can be resolved partially by education and training of the workforce, something being addressed to varying degrees across the region and partially, as we set out in our July 2017 report “Labour Force Boomerang” by return migration of some of the 7m CEE-6 nationality workers currently residing in Western Europe.”
Infrastructure connectivity and tax rates: Distance of Tier 1 suppliers from the key regional producers has a broadly similar pattern, with more of the key assembly plants located more to the west of the CEE-6 regions in general. The greater the distance, the higher the transport cost and delivery timing risk.
Low rates of individual taxation should help to keep workers in the region: low rates of corporate taxation are a feature of the CEE environment. Hungary has the lowest headline CIT rate at just 9%, with Bulgaria also well-positioned at 10%. The relative lack of significant budget deficits in general in CEE means that these low tax rates are likely to sustain in CEE.
Stability and ease of doing business: As EU members, the CEE-6 have the legal frameworks in place that enable business to flourish. The ease of doing business has improved in the region across the board. Ranking globally, Poland is highest at position 24 (up from 54 11 years ago). Hungary is “worst” amongst the CEE-6, ranking at 41 but coming well ahead of several EU peers.
Currency stability is also a planning factor: Slovakia with the Euro and Bulgaria with the Euro-Lev peg are the most stable.
Ends
About Colliers International Group
Colliers International Group Inc. (NASDAQ and TSX: CIGI) is an industry leading global real estate services company with 15,000 skilled professionals operating in 68 countries. With an enterprising culture and significant employee ownership, Colliers professionals provide a full range of services to real estate occupiers, owners and investors worldwide. Services include strategic advice and execution for property sales, leasing and finance; global corporate solutions; property, facility and project management; workplace solutions; appraisal, valuation and tax consulting; customized research; and thought leadership consulting.
Colliers professionals think differently, share great ideas and offer thoughtful and innovative advice that helps clients accelerate their success. Colliers has been ranked among the top 100 global outsourcing firms by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals for 12 consecutive years, more than any other real estate services firm. Colliers also has been ranked the top property manager in the world by Commercial Property Executive for two years in a row.For the latest news from Colliers, visit Colliers.com or follow us on Twitter (@Colliers) and LinkedIn.
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For further information, please contact: |
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| Aleksandra Wasilewska, PR Director, EMEA
Colliers International Direct: +48510020050 |
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