Sony Europe expands in Slovakia

is to establish a new manufacturing site for LCD TVs in

. With an annual production capacity of three million sets at its new plant, it is expected to further expand the market growth of its European TV business.

Sony currently operates European manufacturing sites for LCD TVs in Barcelona, Spain and Trnava, Slovakia. According to Sony Europe, one of the key deciding factors in favour of Nitra was the close proximity to its existing plant in Trnava, enabling the company to capitalise on its existing workforce currently employed there.

After a transition period, it is planned for the Trnava plant to discontinue its manufacturing activities for LCD TVs. Manufacturing operations at the new factory will commence in September 2007 following its inauguration.

Approximately 3,000 employees are expected to work at the plant when it will have ramped up to full production.

After the establishment of the new factory in

, the manufacturing site in

will continue to manufacture LCD TVs. In their capacity as manufacturing centres, both sites will produce LCD TV sets for the growing market demand in western and eastern Europe. In addition, the

plant will also serve as the main technology centre for LCD TVs in

.