We built the entire plant on a greenfield site.

Pavel Behenský, the Business Unit Manager, explained the reasons for the decision and told of his experience in an interview.

EPP is not a mysterious acronym. Maybe you have sat on it before. The extruded polypropylene is a highly resilient foam material that is used wherever the requirements combine light weight on one side and great durability on the other. In addition to that, it is a perfect shock absorber, so no wonder that it is mainly used for the construction of cars. Copo Central Europe has been manufacturing various automotive components from EPP in the Czech Republic. The company has been the latest addition to the list of tenants in the VGP Park in Pilsen-Bručná since January. “Our wish was to have a plant in the middle of Europe, closer to car manufacturers and their factories, and of course closer to storage capacities,” Pavel Behenský, the Business Unit Manager from Copo Central Europe, explained in the interview.

Pavel Behenský

After graduating from university, he spent some time looking for the right segment that would best fit his needs and interests – he decided for the automotive industry, where he has been working for 15 years now. “It is a highly demanding job, very stressful, you need to make right decisions very quickly. People from the automotive will understand what I mean,” he adds.
His favourite leisure time activities include sports, DIY, housekeeping and spending time with his family. He further gets energised by achieving success at work through a step-by-step co-operation with his colleagues – and these do not need to be groundbreaking achievements, but rather gradual steps leading towards the ultimate goal. And when things go wrong, which happens to everybody from time to time, he always remembers what Ivan Hlinka once said: “The key is to keep one’s pants on!”

How would you characterise the Czech branch of Spain’s Grupo Copo?

The production site of Copo Central Europe was built on a greenfield site in Pilsen-Černice in 2015. Its principal line of business is the manufacturing and supply of EPP parts for the automotive industry.

The company has been in the Czech Republic for only 12 months. What success have you achieved so far?

The main achievements include the trouble-free development of the plant on a greenfield site, the successful installation of equipment fitted with imported technology, the building inspection of the plant and, in particular, the establishment of a team of professionals, who are the key to our success.

What is the main focus of your company within the automotive market?

We are primarily manufacturing elements for car seats and back seats, for example for the Audi Q2, Seat Ateca and Škoda Yeti. Other components are utilised as a filling in the luggage compartment of the GM/Opel, Peugeot and other cars.

Who are your customers?

We supply products to Magna and JCI – factories that assemble seats for the above-mentioned car manufacturers, such as Audi, Seat and Škoda from the Volkswagen Group. We further directly supply end OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer whose product is sold and marketed under a different brand – editor’s note) from GM/Opel and the PSA group.

Your job requires large storage facilities. What are your requirements concerning rented space?

We start progressively from one project to another, thus our requirements are continuously refined. It further depends on the current order situation. Currently everything is going great, but we would like to take a certain growth into account for the future.

You have rented space from VGP in the Pilsen-Bručná park. Why this location?

We chose the site for several reasons. The first reason was the strategic position between Kvasiny and Neuburg, where our customers are located. The second reason was the plan to have a plant in the middle of Europe, closer to car manufacturers and their factories. Another reason was the recommendation of our partner companies that already operate in the region.

Did you have any special requirements to be met by VGP?

Yes, we did. One thing is the design and the equipment available in the facilities, which need to be tailored to the needs of the individual orders. We solved this by investing step by step, depending on the production requirements and the technical units, and VGP always accommodated our needs. Today we benefi t from the high standard results.

Does storage space for Grupo Copo components need to have any special features?

There are no special features required for our products. The current space – high enough to stack material and finished products on a solid floor is quite sufficient for us.

What are your plans in the Czech Republic for the coming years?

We want to become the market leader among suppliers of EPP products for the automotive industry. Setting ambitious goals is absolutely vital if you want to succeed. It is a long journey, which can be difficult and complicated at times, but we are only at the start of it and are prepared to take on any challenge that might come our way. Great goals require great effort – and we are ready in every aspect.