Filtration Group Corporation (“Filtration Group”) is a leading US-headquartered company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of a wide range of filtration solutions for customers in amongst others the automotive, clinical sciences, consumer goods, appliances, electronics, lighting, engineering, food and beverage, industrial, life sciences and telecom industries. The company envisioned to invest in a new factory in Central Europe, to serve several business units including the automotive division, which manufactures and supplies filter system solutions for automatic transmissions, including suction filters, pressure filters, oil pans and filter media.

The company engaged Larive International to conduct a strategic location assessment across four countries in Central Europe, advise on the site selection and support with the implementation processes to start-up the manufacturing facility before the envisioned SOP’s for initial production in Q1 2020.

Larive International determined the optimal location for the new investment, by identifying and evaluating key levers for industrial localization, collecting data through primary and secondary research and prioritizing countries and regions with Larive International’s analytical decision-making model. This model eliminated availability bias and provided a strategic rationale to Filtration Group as to which regions to prioritize and which not. Subsequently the industrial (greenfield) locations were identified and assessed. Based upon the outcome of these assessments, Panattoni Park Pilsen West in the Czech Republic was selected as the preferred location for the new manufacturing facility of Filtration Group.

Following signing of the lease agreement for a 7,300 m² greenfield development, Larive International supported Filtration Group throughout the factory set-up process, including incorporation of the company, recruitment of key management, submitting and application for state aid and various project management services safeguarding smooth implementation of the construction such as interaction with suppliers, permitting and supervising of the construction process on-site. The facility became operational in February 2020.

Bennett West, Chief Operating Officer at Filtran Division of Filtration Group: “The establishment of this new site in the Czech Republic marks a next step for our global manufacturing footprint, allowing us to meet our customer requirements. Working with Larive International enabled us to speed up processes and remain cost-efficient throughout the development phase”.

Mathijs van Itterzon, Consultant at Larive International: “We are proud that we had the opportunity to contribute to the establishment of this facility. Filtration Group products manufactured in the Pilsen facility are finding their way into leading automotive OEMs in Europe”.