Partly better availability of parts and smoother logistics. This is also how the Kia Slovakia car company evaluates the year 2023. Despite this, according to its spokesman Tomáš Potoček, the factory had to deal with several challenges related to logistics.

For the next period, new European standards and legislation such as Euro 7 will be essential, which will significantly affect car manufacturers and will require a great deal of effort, funds and time for their application.

The key investment of the year ending at the Žilina automobile plant was the generational replacement of 56 robots in the body shop during the summer shutdown.

"This project continues with the replacement of another 12 robots during the Christmas plant shutdown," added T. Potoček. In the body shop, the factory successfully launched a collaborative robots project this year. At the paint shop, she managed to increase the level of automation on the sealing line by adding seven new robots.

Production results for 2023 as well as the production plan for next year will be published by the company at the beginning of next year. However, as Potoček revealed, investments in the next period should mainly be directed to new technologies, quality, automation and ergonomics.