The chronicle of Eger Tobacco Factory
The chosen company
tion in Hungary, and which Hungary could get its hands on relatively cheaply. It is worth noting, however, that Hungary still did not have the requisite infrastructure for the introduction of technology at the real cutting edge. The technical background necessary for continuous automation was lacking, as was the ability to produce high quality accessories. The Austrian connection was of immeasurable importance to Eger. The Eger factory workers learned how to produce real quality cigarettes, they learned a true respect for the material they used, and they gained access to data and experience through the Austrians too, from the fact that technicians received practically free training for weeks on end in the Linz and Hainburg plants, and Austrian experts came to Hungary too to give in-service training. Whenever this or that spare part was needed, thanks to the Austrian connection, it became a matter of a simple telephone call to get hold of it, whereas in the past it had taken months to get hold of parts that were not made in Hungary. Sometimes it was even personally delivered by car! Dr. Tondl and Mr. Karl Marischka, the two men responsible for the agreement from the Austrian side, provided a service to Eger which can never be forgotten. In the “Golden Smart” year, the company - thanks to a more competent distribution of tasks - increased its production capacity by 300 million units while at the same time the working week was reduced - for the first time in the history of the tobacco industry - from a total of 44 hours to 43. At the same time the women’s Saturday night shift was abolished. Organisational reforms together with western-quality products and articles appearing in leading international specialist publications spread the name of Eger far and wide, attracting more and more visitors to the factory both from Hungary and from abroad. It is no coincidence therefore, that in the following year Philip Morris visited Eger in the person of Mr. Walter Thoma. Mr. Thoma was interested above all else in the standard of cigarette manufacture, acknowledging that in terms of technology the Eger factory was well enough equipped even for the production of Philip Morris products.
