As István Vécsei, the company’s International Chief Operating Officer, shared with Index.hu, the organisation’s expansion has been driven by a combination of strategic growth, regional knowledge-sharing and a willingness to embrace technological innovation.

The leading facility management group in Central and Eastern Europe performs operational tasks at 21,000 locations across Hungary as well as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. Its portfolio ranges from standard and specialised cleaning to technical facility management, healthcare hygiene services, security and green space management.

In Germany, for example, the company is responsible for maintaining the entire HVAC infrastructure — heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system — at a United States Army base, demonstrating technical expertise recognised internationally and the ability to meet strict security requirements.

The company believes that rapidly adapting the experience gained in different markets is one of its strongest competitive advantages.

Operating across diverse markets

Running operations across nine countries requires more than simply establishing a local presence. Each market comes with its own regulatory framework, labour conditions and operational expectations.

Experience gained in countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania has required the company to develop significant financial and operational flexibility.

Healthcare facilities are among the most complex segments of the facility management sector, both in terms of responsibility and operational demands. LIWO Group currently provides services at nearly 700 healthcare sites in eight countries, including hospitals, private medical practices, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and pharmacy networks.

In such environments, the flawless operation of technical systems — including ventilation systems, climate control in operating theatres and laboratories, and heating infrastructure — is essential.

At the same time, strict hygiene and disinfection standards must be maintained while medical staff and patients remain continuously present.

Maintaining sterile environments, managing disinfection protocols and properly handling hazardous medical waste all require specialised expertise and constant readiness. The company’s role is to ensure that background processes and critical infrastructure operate seamlessly, so healthcare professionals can focus entirely on patient care.

According to International COO István Vécsei, the know-how gained in healthcare and industrial environments shaped the company’s entire operation: strict protocols, continuous monitoring and documented process management are embedded throughout the organisation.

In Italy, the company also provides services in industrial and energy facilities — including nuclear power plant environments — which requires compliance with the highest safety and quality assurance standards.

Technology reshaping facility management

Innovation has also become a key pillar of the company’s development. According to the FieldBots Radar 2025 survey, LIWO Group operates the world’s eighth-largest cleaning robot fleet, with 176 robots developed internally.

Robotic cleaning machines, drone-based inspection systems and digital fault-reporting platforms provide not only efficiency but also measurable and transparent operations — producing valuable data and reporting capabilities on an international level.

In security services, drones and sensor-equipped robotic dogs are already supporting night patrols in industrial parks, while the company is developing an autonomous security robot capable of detecting intrusions, irregularities or even fire incidents in office buildings and shopping centres.

Real-time digital systems ensure documented response times and verifiable performance, which is particularly important for multinational partners, Vécsei emphasises. Mechanisation is not an investment for its own sake, but a tool for quality, sustainability and workforce optimisation.

Continuous recruitment and a people-centred approach

Facility management is a labour-intensive sector, making recruitment and retention strategic issues. LIWO Group employs nearly 30,000 people in total, with approximately 16,000 employees in Hungary, predominantly Hungarian workers.

The company’s growth is not based on temporary external labour but on continuous intensive recruitment, its own training programmes and fair, competitive working conditions.

Employee retention is supported by flexible employment models. Vécsei stresses that part-time work is not a constraint but a deliberate organisational tool that adapts to local client structures and employees’ life situations, strengthening loyalty.

In several countries —  such as Poland — the company also employs workers with reduced working capacity, integrating social responsibility into its operational approach.

Sustainability with a human focus

LIWO Group interprets green cleaning as “human-friendly cleaning”: In addition to reducing environmental impact, the company places strong emphasis on protecting the health of its employees.

Procurement decisions, therefore, consider ecological footprint and seek to minimise the use of chemicals wherever possible.

According to Vécsei, the facility management provider of the future is simultaneously a matter of technology, organisational structure and human resource management.

Regional experience, operations spanning sectors from healthcare and energy to industrial parks, and the coordination of tens of thousands of employees together form a complex model that goes far beyond the traditional role of a service provider.

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LIWO Group

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