A small country with a 3D future

A small country with big plans and a great potential. This is how we could describe Slovakia, which in a relatively short period of time has become a „production center“ for many international companies. The knowledge base and technological potential of Slovakia was recognised as far back as 1996 by the Japanese company Sony, which last year started production of 3D television sets at its LCD TV manufacturing plant in the city of Nitra in southwestern Slovakia. Sony has been producing LCD TVs and other electronics in Slovakia since 2006, and employs more than 3,000 people in two plants.

Samsung has no intention to lag behind, having come to Slovakia for the first time in 2002. The company focuses on the manufacture of LCD and LED television sets, LCD monitors, HDD and Blu-ray players, as well as satellite receivers. Samsung employs almost 3,000 people in Galanta, and in terms of sales volume is one of the three largest non-financial corporations in Slovakia. Within just a few years, the plant in Galanta became the largest Samsung manufacturing plant in all of Europe. Since starting production in 2002, the plant has manufactured more than 40 million units and the company has reinvested more than € 270 million.

These two manufacturing giants have chosen the small Slovak Republic as their European base, and are now starting to produce new revolutionary products here – 3D television sets.

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3D technology is a new and fascinating entry into a world, which we could only dream about before. Behind this dream however, lies a sophisticated technology, whose basic goal is to deceive your eyes. On the display, scenes rotate at high speeds between the left and right eyes, which with the help of 3D glasses cause our brain to perceive a three-dimensional image. The difference between the 3D television and 3D cinema is that behind the cinema audience there are two projectors showing images for each eye separately. In a 3D television set, the source of the picture is in front of you, and the two projectors are replaced by high-frequency alternating display of images. Thanks to the image depth perceived by each of the eyes, which are some distance apart, it is possible to trick the brain and induce a sensation of space in the picture before us.

All 3D television sets can be switched to a classic mode of transmission. Today these sets are only a technological eccentricity because there are very few 3D programs available, but the first signs have started to appear that this market will soon grow. The Oscar winning blockbuster by David Cameron, Avatar, has created great interest in 3D television and the demand for them keeps growing.

In the UK, the first 3D television sets from Slovakia arrived in early April and local news media expressed great interest. Now we are waiting to see who will be the new customers. Certainly, the largest consumer segment will be sports fans and 3D content providers have already taken the first steps in this direction. On April 3, the Sky 3D channel was launched and as expected, its first broadcast was the Premier League football match between Manchester United and Chelsea. This type of development is consistent with plans of the manufacturers in Slovakia, who are planning to intensify sales activities before the World Cup, which people will be able to watch in 3D quality. Sky 3D is the very first 3D television channel in Europe. Content is the most important thing. The available technology is clearly ahead of the technological developments in the entertainment industry. The producers of 3D computer games are also watching the 3D TV market. A 3D high-definition TV set, connected to a game console, is the fulfilment of a dream of every computer game enthusiast.

Cradle of new technology is traditionally in South Korea. In that country, 3D TV programs are already broadcast 24/7 and people watch documentaries, movies and sports programs. But why has an Asian manufacturer decided to bring their investments and the production of leading-edge products especially to Slovakia? Twenty-one years after the collapse of totalitarian regimes, post-communist countries are still viewed as risky by much of the world's business community. Yet for several reasons Slovakia seems to offer great opportunities for investments and outsourcing.

In the case of 3D television, this is mainly due the geographical position of Slovakia in Central Europe and the Slovak skilled labour force. Samsung and Sony manufacturing plants of are located in the southern lowlands near the capital, Bratislava. Here they have easy access to the main transportation infrastructure that is crucial for logistics operations, and which is connected to the entire territory of the European Union.

The roots of the knowledgeable and skilled Slovak workers can be traced to the country's communist past. People of working age are „multi-skilled“ and the regions where the two manufacturing plants are located, are traditional electrical engineering production areas. A great role is also played by the progressive flat tax system and the strong interest shown by the government, which provides all kinds of assistance to foreign investors. The fact that Slovakia is also a member of the EU, gives Asian firms direct access to the European markets – because their products are „Made in the EU“.

3D television has arrived, and nothing will stop its development. And this is strength of Slovakia. The country is an ideal base for research and development, which is also supported by EU funds.

So next time you are enjoying a drink in your pub, watching a football match on a 3D TV – think of Slovakia. And if your pub still has no 3D TV, it will soon have one, because 3D TVs manufactured in Slovakia are starting to be shipped throughout Europe.
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Author: Maroš Karabinoš
Photo: istockphoto.com

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