AWS Group investment in Slovakia leads to £1M+ automotive order

Over the last year, AWS Group has pumped an investment worth in excess of £150k into the Slovakia site, doubling its size, and new surface mount, automated conformal coating and test and inspection equipment has been installed. Comments AWS’ CEO Paul Deehan: “Slovakia continues to be a cost-effective approach to meet our customers’ ever-increasing demands for lowest cost and highest quality. We have invested for the future at a time when many companies are down-sizing. This latest contract win justifies our decision and will deliver significant additional revenues.”

The new project comes from one of AWS’ existing customers in the automotive sensors sector. Phase 1 requires the manufacture of assembled PCBs at a rate of 5000 month; Phase 2 will see the complete outsourcing of final assembly, test and direct shipment to Global Automotive OEMs to AWS Slovakia. Currently these latter operations are performed by the customer. Annual revenues for both phases are expected to be in excess of £1M – doubling AWS Slovakia’s current turnover. This is based on the current, depressed market predictions, so this is expected to grow by 2010.

Jan Firic AWS Group’s Slovakian Plant Manager commented: “The initial build trial and PPAP (Production Parts Approval Process) has now been verified by the customer and we have met all the required quality criteria. This is a significant success for AWS and our entire workforce here, and is testimony to the investment made.”