Electrical Engineering
The electrical engineering industry is among the fastest growing sectors of Slovak industrial manufacturing, and thanks to its stable growth in revenues, employment and added value it has achieved a significant and irreplaceable position in the Slovak economy.
Recently, the sector has enjoyed a high rate of foreign direct investment and the establishing of plants and service centres for the European market. Among the main factors that have sparked the tide of investments is development of the automobile industry as a major purchaser of electrical engineering and optical equipment, the tradition of electrical engineering production, the relatively low labour price as well as the investment policies of the state. This industry is truly a key employer at centres of the electrical engineering industry in Eastern Slovakia, such as Michalovce, Krompachy and Stropkov. Again, the Technical University in Košice educates top professionals for the region, and the labour market is wellstocked with a network of secondary vocational schools, one of which – the electrical engineering school in Prešov – is repeatedly ranked among the best secondary schools in Slovakia according to an assessment by the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO).
Selection of Largest Companies Within the Sector
| Company | Location | Key product | Revenue in thousands | Investor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHIRLPOOL SLOVAKIA spol. s r.o | Poprad | Production of white home appliances - washing machines | 277 159 | Luxemburg |
| BSH Drives and Pumps s.r.o. | Michalovce | Electric motors for washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and control units for white technology | 203 306 | Austria |
| Draka Comteq Slovakia s.r.o | Prešov - Záborské | Power and data cables | 46 980 | Netherlands |
| TESLA STROPKOV a.s | Stropkov | Button plates, telephone sets, electrical installation material | 32 358 | Slovakia |
| LINAK Slovakia s.r.o | Župčany | Electric linear drives | 31 521 | Denmark |
| TATRAMAT - ohrievače vody, s.r.o. | Poprad | Water heaters | 27 603 | Germany |
| Hengstler, s.r.o. | Kežmarok | Manufacture of industrial components for counting and control applications | 18 787 | Germany |
| SEZ Krompachy a.s | Krompachy | Manufacture of low and high voltage devices, current protectors, cam switches, switchboards | 14 166 | Slovakia |
| 2J s.r.o. | Bardejov | Communication solutions especially for the automotive industry (GPS, GSM, Telematic antennas) | 9 777 | England |
| ELEKTROCONNECT, s.r.o. | Trebišov | Manufacture of cables and cable harnesses for the automotive industry | 7 337 | Germany |
WHIRLPOOL SLOVAKIA spol. s.r.o. from Poprad
In 1991, a contract was signed to form a company called Whirlpool Tatramat, focusing on the production of washing machines.
Whirlpool starting off with a 43% share in it. In 1996, Whirlpool acquired 100% of the Whirlpool Tatramat shares, and the company was renamed to WHIRLPOOL SLOVAKIA spol. s r.o. Since it entered the Slovak market, Whirlpool has received a number of awards, such as the title of “Best in Europe” in the Trade Partners Satisfaction survey, or “Best Exporter“, “Family-Friendly Employer in the category of Equal Opportunities for Men and Women”, “Company of the Year”, “Via Bona”, and “Supplier of the Year,” which are awarded by the Euronics business association. Thanks to the company’s successful sales strategy and the popularity of the brand, Whirlpool has been the top-selling brand in Slovakia for 21 years now.
