The former textile factory Sukno in Humpolec is transforming into a business zone

Humpolec (Pelhřimovsko) - The expansive spaces of the former textile company Sukno in Humpolec are being transformed into a business and logistics zone. The company Riverich, which purchased the area in Brunc from an auction, will pay 60 million crowns for its reconstruction. A large warehouse for the company Blizzard, which sells skiing equipment, will be created in part of the area. This was stated today by the director of Riverich, Jaroslav Janeček. The operations currently employ 150 people. After the adaptations are completed, their number will increase to 400, he said.
    The reconstruction of the buildings in Brunc began last July. To date, work worth approximately 30 million crowns has been completed. "We are putting in new floors, windows, heating, roofs, and creating new communication zones," said Janeček. According to him, entrepreneurs have already occupied 70 percent of the 29,700 square meters of floor space.
    "Blizzard is our biggest client," he said. Blizzard will move its logistics center, from which goods are shipped to Eastern Europe, to Humpolec from Říčany near Prague. Janeček justified this by saying that doing business in Humpolec has lower costs. Its location in the center of the country and near the D1 highway is also advantageous. Other tenants include wholesalers specializing in toys, companies focused on logistics, metal production, supplies for the automotive industry, and manufacturers and distributors of gardening equipment.
    The area has a total size of 60,000 square meters; according to Janeček, it once employed 1,200 people. The production of fabrics, which had a tradition in the city for several hundred years, ceased permanently in 2003 when its then-owner Novitex, with 300 employees, went bankrupt. The company Riverich, which was established two years ago, purchased the area in a public auction.
    It includes a chateau that served as an administrative building. Janeček noted that there is also a hostel in Brunc where seasonal workers and tourists can stay overnight. Among the considered plans is the construction of 50 apartments. A residential zone is to be created in the peripheral part of the area, separated from the industrial halls by a greenbelt.