He congratulated the Hungarian company on the 3.2 billion forint (EUR 9.8m) expansion of its base which had received a government grant of 1.3 billion forints as part of the government’s support programme for big companies that are not eligible for European Union funding.

Orbán said the sector employs 14,000 people directly and some 34,000 families indirectly owe their livelihood to it.

Béres Gyógyszergyár’s expansion created 37 jobs, raising headcount from the original 64 at the base’s foundation to over 300.

Chairman József Béres said the company has created a state-ofthe-art quality control laboratory by converting a 2,500 sqm food plant, installed analytical testing and R&D equipment and production machinery, expanded its R&D base and created a production area for making new products.

Exports now account for 20% of the company’s revenue, he added.

MTI Photo: Máthé Zoltán