The first seats from Budejc. Automation, sequencing and team strengthening.

A lot has happened at NOBO AUTO in České Budějovice in the last few months. We have produced the first prototypes of seats, we are launching new technologies and logistics and we have crossed the 100 people mark in the team. Here is a breakdown of some recent news.

The first seats made in České Budějovice

In May and June we produced the first samples of the seats. Prototypes that we sent to the customer at BMW. It looks like one line in the production plan, but there's a whole series of events behind it.

Until now, we have been producing prototypes in our partner plant in China, because the hall and the installed technology were not yet ready in Budějovice. Now we already have most of the main equipment, some machines are still being fine-tuned, but this has already enabled the first pilot production of samples.

It's been an onslaught - new technology, new team, new processes, first parts from new suppliers, lots of changes from development. Through it all, we were able to get the samples together, pass the tests and get them to the customer on time. In the next phase we have debugging, more samples and gradually getting closer to the final specification for SOP (start of production) in October 2026.

First packaged prototype seats ready to go to BMW

Each sample is scanned

Part of this process includes a precise inspection of each seat produced. Each piece goes through a 3D scan - we verify that all dimensions, curves and details match the drawings. When the technology is new, details are often fine-tuned - die cuts, seams, upholstery tension. And that's exactly why this step can't be skipped. Everything has to fit.

Scanning prototype seats

On this topic, I am also preparing the next episode of the podcast "The Story of the Seat", where I will invite our quality manager and we will discuss how quality is made from the first samples to mass production.

Autonomous mobile robots

To keep the production of seats for BMW running smoothly, we need not only people but also technology that keeps up with the demands of quality and precision. That's why at NOBO we have started using autonomous mobile robots (AMR) that supply the production line with parts directly from the material warehouse.

It works simply and reliably. The robot retrieves the job from the system, drives to the warehouse, gets under the prepared parts cart and drives it to the exact location in the production. Along the way, it avoids people, obstacles and other trolleys - all the while blinking and making sure it doesn't endanger anyone.

When he arrives at the site, he leaves the parts there, takes back the empty packaging and heads back. And the whole process repeats itself - all day long, without pause, without talking, to the nearest centimetre.

This eliminates manual handling, reduces errors and makes the entire material flow smoother. AMRs are not just a toy for visitors, but a normal part of the operation. They help us do things simpler and smarter - just the way modern manufacturing should work.

AMR - Autonomous Mobile Robots

Automatic material warehouse at the input

It is also worth mentioning the technology, which is often not even seen by our employees if they are only in production. Automatic material storage. If you look at the photos, you'll see a giant yellow shelving system that will automatically load and unload material exactly according to the production schedule.

Automatic stereoscopic material storage including AGVs (automatic lizards)

The advantage is not only space saving, but above all accuracy and speed. The automated system knows exactly where what is, what the expiry date of the material is, and can react to changes in scheduling virtually in real time. But the big challenge will be to ensure that all the sub-system elements are connected and interact with each other so that we can deliver the right material to the right place at the right time.

Sequential storage on output

And it will be similarly challenging on the way out of the race. The seats will be delivered "Just in Sequence" - exactly the order in which the cars are assembled on the BMW assembly line.

Example: one customer orders a BMW 3 Series with brown, ventilated seats, immediately after which another customer orders the same car with black cloth seats. We then receive the desired order (sequence), or list of specific cars, approximately one week before the car is produced in Dingolfing. And we not only have to produce the required parts in this sequence on the production lines, but we also have to ensure that they are loaded onto the trucks in the precisely defined logic in which the seats will subsequently be assembled into the cars on our customer's production line.

Sequential storage on output

And to make things even more interesting, we are also responsible for sequencing seats that we don't manufacture ourselves - like the carbon front seats for the M3. These come to us from another manufacturer and we have to sequence them correctly, add the rear seat from our production and get everything to BMW on time.

To give you an idea - nothing can be made in advance for stock. Everything is done in live mode, according to actual data from BMW. The whole process is extremely logistics, IT and coordination intensive. And we're setting all this up in a new plant, with new people and technology.

The NOBO truck is already on the roads

Our new fleet is also worth mentioning. The first NOBO AUTO trucks are already running between Budějovice and Dingolfing in Bavaria. And it's not just the logo - the entire visual and even the claim "We hold your back, in seats you trust" was devised by the local NOBO AUTO team in České Budějovice. The first two trucks have already hit the road, with more to follow.

NOBO Car trailer

HR team +1 and future outlook

Finally, a few more numbers. To date, we have exactly 100 employees. And if everything goes according to plan, by the end of next year, we will be roughly 450. To cope with the two-shift operation, we will need mainly operational reinforcements - production workers, logistics workers, quality technicians, new colleagues for maintenance. In support departments and key positions, we have successfully built a strong core team over the last year and a half.

HR team NOBO Auto ČB

We have newly welcomed to the HR team Igor Limanovwho is in charge of recruiting operators and warehousemen. Thanks to his experience in the agency sphere and his language skills, he helps us to reach a wider range of candidates, including Ukrainian colleagues.

Keep an eye on our website and careers pages - we'll continue to recruit. A lot.

Thanks for watching this with me. You can also find this article on my website davidhavelec.cz - where I'm gradually building an archive of all blogs about NOBO AUTO as well as snippets from HR practice.

David Havelec

HR Manager in Nobo Automotive Czech Republic

5 August 2025