Neighbours - Two giant projects in Szeged bring industry and research and development together

The outskirts of Szeged have become a bustling, huge work site. Chinese company BYD, which became the market leader in sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars last year, is building its first European factory in an industrial park covering approximately 300 hectares on the outskirts of the city. Another major project is also underway in the vicinity of one of the largest investments in Hungarian economic history. Construction work on Science Park is underway next to the ELI-ALPS laser research institute. As we previously reported, Colas Út Zrt and DÉLÚT Kft. are working on comprehensive infrastructure development on the 82-hectare site of the University of Szeged's science and industry park.

The project will include the construction of 3.6 kilometres of water mains, 3.5 kilometres of sewage pipes, a street lighting network and 5,384 metres of asphalt roads.

Automotive research centre next to the car factory

According to the plans, the University of Szeged's Automotive Competence Centre will operate in the science park, where, among other things, internal combustion engines and their pollutant emissions will be tested on a special engine test bench. The centre would play a role in the development of technical education, for example in the training of electrical engineers. The science park already houses the the Incubator House of the University of Szeged has already been completed in the science park, which operates as the Hungarian Centre of Excellence in Molecular Medicine.

Archaeologists' diggers will be followed by backhoes

The construction of the Chinese BYD factory in Szeged, near Science Park, began on 30 January with the signing of the official preliminary agreement. Szeged had previously undertaken to carry out the clearance of ammunition from the industrial park and archaeological work. The former has been completed, and in the latter case, after instrumental surveys and documentation, experts from the Móra Ferenc Museum are examining the depths of the surface with the help of research pits. So far, remains of ancient and medieval settlements have been found, but these do not prevent the start of construction, according to a report on the developments after a tour of the area a szeged.hu.

The municipality will hand over the 300 hectares of land in three phases - at the end of March, September and the end of the year.

The groundwork can begin

Once the permits for partial landscaping and deep foundations have been issued, earthworks for the factory construction can begin. The latter will include the construction of stormwater drainage and storage facilities. Three reservoirs with a total capacity of 37 million litres of water will be built at the boundary of the site.
The first step will be to remove the topsoil from a 40-hectare area to make way for a load-bearing layer to support the factory buildings. In the first phase of construction, a hall will be built for moulding the bodywork, and next to it a composite materials plant.
Production at the BYD plant in Szeged is scheduled to start within three years.