Recaro Aircraft Seating opens new plant in Poland

“The new building reflects a clear commitment by Recaro Aircraft Seating to our production site in Poland, which is distinguished by its dedicated, well trained personnel, and highquality workmanship,” says Martin Putsch, Chief Executive Officer of Recaro Holding, at the inauguration. “The plant in Swiebodzin plays an important role in the international production network of Recaro Aircraft Seating. By strengthening its capacities, we will strengthen the entire company.”

Recaro Aircraft Seating has been manufacturing very successfully in Swiebodzin since 2006. Customer response has been exceedingly positive, both in terms of quality and meeting delivery deadlines. As a result, the plant has undergone very positive developments in recent years. “Production volume has increased so much that the site has rapidly reached its limits in terms of space. With the new facility in place, we now have 10,000 square meters available – which is more than twice the previous floor space,” explains Dr. Mark Hiller, Chief Executive Officer of Recaro Aircraft Seating. The new building was completed at record speed. Construction began on November 3, 2011, and by May 2012, it was ready to move into. In the meantime, the site has received all the required approvals and clearances. “It is now the most modern plant in our production network,” says Hiller. “We have incorporated the latest ‘lean production’ practices, as well as leading-edge planning tools.”

Currently, Recaro Aircraft Seating has roughly 120 employees in Swiebodzin. They produce the successful Recaro BL3520 economy-class seat, among other products. Their goal is to increase production capacity by 50 percent – approximately 20,000 seats will come off the line in Poland in 2012. “The plant is to become our best-practice site for short-range economy class seats,” continues Hiller. “Moreover, Swiebodzin will expand its role to become our regional purchasing facility for Eastern Europe.” Engineering activities, however, will continue to take place at Recaro Aircraft Seating headquarters in Schwaebisch Hall, as well as the initial production of new product models.

To strengthen its leading position on the international market, Recaro Aircraft Seating is expanding its capacities at its production sites around the world: In 2012, the company completed the construction of a building extension at its headquarters in Schwaebisch Hall. Production space at the Recaro subsidiary in Fort Worth, Texas, is also being doubled. In addition, the company is building a plant in Qingdao, China. By 2017, the worldwide employee base will grow to approximately 2,200, with sales expected to increase to around 500 million Euros.