Kolektor Etra Expands Capacity

Economic Minister Matjaž Han visited transformer manufacturer Kolektor Etra on Tuesday, where he was briefed on the planned business growth and anticipated investments. The company is currently awaiting building permits for the expansion of the factory in Črnuče. Han promised to support the investment. He also announced a new law that would make it easier to allocate large areas for the economy along the highway cross.

“The purpose of the visit was to present the company, which is successful in the market. We wanted to present our ideas to the ministry so that they can support us in our efforts to continue developing and employing high-value-added staff,” said Kolektor Etra's CEO Tomaž Kmecl. “With the discussion, we also try to show our view of the economic problems in Europe. I am quite pessimistic about the future of Europe. Therefore, I would advise directors and company owners to start looking around as soon as possible and deal with the future of the company so that they can make the right moves with their competencies. This must also be done to enable people to have a better life.”

Matjaž Han pointed out the uncertain economic times, but there are companies that have great prospects due to their products. According to him, Kolektor Etra is one such company. “It is fascinating that they will achieve 200,000 euros of added value per employee and that they have full orders for the next three years. We know in which direction we need to develop in Slovenia and the Slovenian economy, so I am very pleased about this. They also presented the planned investments in this area, where the state must absolutely help with its levers.”

Minister Matjaž Han and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kolektor Stojan Petrič. PHOTO: Voranc Vogel/Delo

Order Book Full for Several Years Ahead

Kolektor Etra is constantly growing, recently also on the wings of the green transition, as they manufacture transformers for the renovation of the power grid, for renewable energy sources such as solar power fields and wind turbines both on land and at sea, and there are opportunities in the production of hydrogen from electrolysis. The company from Črnuče generated 228 million euros in sales revenue last year, which is 27 percent more than the previous year. This year, they will exceed the target of 260 million euros in revenue, as they achieved 25 percent more sales in the first seven months compared to the same period last year.

Since they have already signed contracts worth a billion euros for the next three years, and the transformer market is growing, the company plans to increase capacity.

Kolektor Etra manufactures transformers in three production units, two in Ljubljana and one near Belgrade, in Barajevo. Larger transformers are made in Ljubljana, while smaller ones are made in Serbia. They are expanding in both countries.

In Črnuče, they are planning new production and storage facilities and a new laboratory. Applications for building permits have already been submitted, funds for construction are prepared, so they want to start the investment as soon as possible. In recent years, they have already purchased land around the factory, namely on the northern part up to the railway line and on the eastern part up to Črnušnica. The current capacity of the factory in Črnuče is approximately 250 power transformers per year with a total power of 15,000 megavolt-amperes (MVA). The goal by 2030, when all investments are completed, is to increase capacity to 350 transformers per year with a total power of 25,000 MVA.

Matjaž Han said that all countries help their industry with investments, for example with subsidies, so “I don't see why Slovenia shouldn't do the same.” According to him, the economy must obtain building permits faster, and faster spatial planning is essential.

At the meeting between representatives of the Kolektor Group and Kolektor Etra and the Ministry of Economy, they discussed the growing business and planned investments of the Črnuče company. PHOTO: Voranc Vogel/Delo

Regarding this, Han added in a statement for Delo that we have around 600 craft zones in Slovenia, but no large industrial zones along the highway cross. “Therefore, with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, we are drafting a law that will place large zones along the highway cross and thus enable new investments and the development of Slovenian logistics. This is crucial to do in the coming year, as this law will help us get new areas for investments,” he said. Representatives of the German and Austrian economies, who have investments in Slovenia, say they would like to have additional areas so that they could perhaps even move part of the industry from Germany to Slovenia, the minister added, noting that the law is still being coordinated and is expected to be written and coordinated in a few months.

Kolektor Etra with Investment in Serbia

This year, Kolektor Etra opened a new laboratory in Barajevo next to its factory, where they will be able to test transformers up to 145 kilovolts (kV), which is the target value at this location, while the previous one allowed measurements up to 70 kV. At the opening of the laboratory, they also laid the foundation stone for a new factory in Serbia worth more than ten million euros, which will more than double production, manufacture larger transformers up to 40 MVA, and increase revenues in Serbia from just over 20 million euros to 50 million euros. The factory is expected to start operations in 2026.