 Foreign trade |
Small countries always depend on foreign trade, even more so those that plan to become members of the European Union and enter the single European market. The Czech Republic has traditionally been an industrial country and will remain so for years to come, especially in the terms of its exports. Cars and other vehicles have always been one of the country's strong exports. While tractors, heavy trucks, buses, trams and locomotives used to be the dominant exported vehicles, they have been taken over in the last several years by passenger cars manufactured by Skoda Auto, now part of the Volkswagen Group. Skoda Auto has been continuously increasing its production towards its target of 500,000 cars a year, as well as strengthening its market position in the western European markets. The Czech market already accounts for less than 20% of Skoda's sales, while for example the neighboring Germany accounts for only slightly less (with a strong growing trend, while the local sales grow only mildly).
Skoda Auto has also opened up room for many car-parts medium-sized companies to capitalize on its success and become a part of the European-wide network of Volkswagen parts producers. The strict quality requirements Skoda introduced and the previously unheard of pressure on quality and reliability have also enabled many postcommunist companies to produce parts for other carmakers across Europe. Automotive industry is thus one of the fastest growing industrial segments in the Czech Republic. | 
Besides cars and other industrial products, some of the Czech companies focus on trading the national resources, primarily coal. The leading trader, Metalimex, also owns the largest black coal producers OKD and Ceskomoravske doly Kladno, as well as one of the top three brown coal miners, Sokolovska uhelna. According to the company's managing director, Petr Otava, Metalimex has been able to keep its healthy economic situation by focusing on fuel, non-ferrous metals and electrical power and by establishing good cooperation with both Czech and foreign companies. Taking over helped economic results of Metalimex too, as it is now responsible for export activities of the by far largest black coal mining company. To further strengthen its position, Metalimex is getting ready for new projects, especially in terms of reexports into Europe, third world countries and the rest of the world. |
