Currently, with local roots small and medium-sized industrial companies The logistical disadvantages resulting from the geographical location are mainly local government investment promotion policy can offset. The developed infrastructure, the locally available educational, health and cultural wide range of services, as well as the significant traditions of technical vocational cultures, Komló accordingly has a strong local availability of specialists helps make the city an attractive destination.
Transport and logistics
This former mining town lies at the heart of the Mecsek Hills, a fact that has a significant impact on transport links. It is crossed by neither a motorway nor a main road; its most significant route, the A66 connecting Pécs with Kaposvár via Sásd, runs along the edge of the Sikonda holiday resort, close to the town boundary. The town’s main transport corridor is the 20-kilometre stretch leading to Pécs, which, although only classified as a main road between Mánfa and the county town, is in impeccable condition despite the heavy traffic.
The nearest point on the motorway network, the junction of the M6 motorway in the southern part of Pécs, is 25 km away. Main Road 6 is 16 km away towards Hosszúhetény and 36 km away towards Bonyhád.
Komló has its own rail link and station, although the branch line terminating in the town plays only a marginal role in passenger transport. Passenger trains run to a single destination, via Sásd to Dombóvár, once a day in both directions. Due to the 9 am departure from Dombóvár and the midday departure from Komló, the trains are not really suitable for commuting to work or school; however, an Intercity service to Budapest is available in Dombóvár with a short connection time. Due to the unfavourable conditions for passenger traffic, the line is used primarily for freight transport; Komló station, as a legacy of the mining industry, is suitable for loading large quantities of goods onto trains.
Local bus services are considered good: although a change may be required in some places, the town can be reached within an hour from most settlements in the Komló and Hegykő districts. Buses run extremely frequently to Pécs, ferrying passengers to long-distance coaches and trains departing from the county town. The capital can be reached via a change in Pécs.
The city’s local public transport is operated by 23 buses. The frequency is adequate: 142,000 journeys are made annually. Their average utilisation rate is 28.13%, meaning there is spare capacity in the system.
Infrastructure and public services
Komló’s infrastructure is extensive, well-developed and in good condition. During the heyday of mining, town planners anticipated a population twice the current size, and the infrastructure built at that time remains in place. The town’s main roads are in good condition, and several of them have been completely renovated in recent years. Due to the long distances involved, local bus services facilitate transport within the town. Komló has its own biomass-fired heating plant and associated district heating system, which can bring economic benefits through the use of renewable energy. The municipal waterworks belongs to the Komló plant management of Baranya-Víz and provides water supply to a further 27 settlements across two districts. The Komló wastewater treatment plant, which has recently undergone modernisation and capacity expansion, serves 15 settlements in the district.
Komló is, naturally, the seat of the Komló district, and is also home to the district office and its specialist administrative departments. The town has departments for employment, public health, food chain safety and animal health, as well as regulatory and child welfare services. A government service centre and a land registry office are also available locally.
The 184-bed town hospital has departments of surgery, internal medicine, nursing, and a specialist pulmonology and respiratory rehabilitation department. In addition, more than two dozen different specialist clinics are available locally. The ambulance station responsible for the region is located here. A total of 643 children attend the town’s ten nurseries, whilst 1,442 pupils study at the six primary schools. There are 740 students in secondary education, 281 of whom attend the grammar school, whilst the rest are enrolled in various vocational colleges.
Komló’s grammar school ranks in the national mid-table based on A-level and competence results. The technical college trains specialists in IT, economics, logistics and social sciences, whilst at the vocational secondary school, engineering and metalworking trades dominate, tailored to the needs of the most important local economic sectors.
Key economic players
The following are just a few of the most important ones (this list is by no means exhaustive):
- PI-ER Technical Kft. – a company manufacturing waterproof technical and sports clothing;
- Lakics Gépgyártó Kft. – a Hungarian-owned company specialising in the manufacture of large-scale welded steel structures;
- Polytec Komló Kft. – an Austrian-owned company supplying polyurethane components to car manufacturers; total revenue of HUF 2.51 billion, of which HUF 2.51 billion (78.7%) comes from exports
- Uni-System Bau Kft. – a Hungarian-owned company specialising in the manufacture and installation of machine components and steel structures;
- Kalatherm Kft. – a Hungarian-owned company whose main activity is the manufacture of plastic doors and windows
- RÁK Antenna Gyártó Kft. – a company that has grown out of a small Hungarian business, specialising in the manufacture, painting and varnishing of injection-moulded plastic components, primarily for the automotive industry;
- Rati Kft. – a Hungarian-owned company specialising in the manufacture of plastic interior components for cars;
Areas designated for economic purposes
In Komló, there are few municipally-owned plots suitable for industrial development, mainly due to geographical constraints. However, the local council ensures easy access to the existing sites. The industrial plots have been fully connected to public utilities – or are currently being developed – and companies can purchase them at extremely favourable, often nominal, prices.
The town offers two industrial sites suitable for greenfield developments and a further three properties suitable for commercial use to companies wishing to relocate.
For agricultural businesses and local small-scale producers, the market operating in the market hall offers a valuable sales alternative. Opened in 2019, the market hall—which has been practically completely renovated and rebuilt—provides modern, civilised facilities, meeting all the needs of traders and customers alike.
Area Search találatok
Economic support and tax policy
The local authority supports businesses planning to invest through the financial incentives at its disposal. Under the heading of job creation support, the following options are available to companies:
- Discounted property purchase or lease.
- Partial coverage of operating costs related to job creation (wages, social security contributions, inventory financing).
- Commissioning of works and studies necessary for investment.
- Contributions towards the training and local accommodation of prospective employees.
- Interest subsidy.
- Supplementing the applicant’s own contribution.
Applications may be submitted by companies, sole traders or private individuals with a registered office, premises or branch within the town, as well as those intending to invest within the town. The amount of support is decided by the council in each case. The exact amount and the conditions for receiving the grant are set out in an individual grant agreement between the parties. In most cases, a specified level of investment or a certain number of employees must be maintained in return for the grant.
The local authority offers rent concessions to existing businesses with the aim of preserving jobs. Any company, sole trader or private individual who has been renting non-residential premises from the town for at least six months and employs at least one permanent resident of Komló is eligible to apply for the discount.
The forms of the discount may be as follows:
- Full waiver of rent for up to one calendar year.
- Reduction of rent for a maximum of one calendar year.
- Suspension of the rent increase specified in the lease agreement for a maximum of one calendar year.
Decisions on applications are made by the relevant committee of the local authority. The exact amount and the conditions for eligibility are set out in an individual support agreement between the parties.
In Komló, the local business tax rate is the upper limit specified in the legislation, i.e. 2% of the tax base. The amount of the tourist tax, however, falls short of the permitted maximum, at 385 forints per guest night. This primarily affects hotels and guesthouses in the Sikonda holiday resort area.
The rate of the building tax varies between 300 and 1,655 per year per square metre, depending on the function of the building. The land tax ranges from 1 to 280 forints, also per year per square metre, depending on the location.
Local authority investments
In recent years, the local council in Komló has made significant efforts to secure funding through grant applications in order to carry out projects that improve the quality of life for local residents. Among the projects financed by EU and government grants totalling several billion forints, the reconstruction of the market hall, the energy efficiency upgrades to local authority buildings and nurseries, the expansion of the sewerage network and the refurbishment of the sewage treatment plant, the ongoing complete reconstruction of the bus terminus, and the refurbishment of numerous roads, pavements and car parks, including those on the busy Munkácsy Street and Petőfi Square.
