BOS Automotive joins suppliers for Dacia Logan

BOS Automotive Products SCS Romania, a unit of the German firm BOS GmbH&Co. KG, the world”s leading manufacturer of sunshades and compartmentalisation systems for the car industry, announced it sealed a contract with Renault for the manufacturing of sunshades for the new Dacia Logan model.

“For the time being, we do not have any customers in Romania, but following the launch of the new Dacia Logan models this will shortly change. Renault has been a customer of ours for a long time. This contract is a first only in the sense that our production will be, for the first time, destined for the domestic market,” Joris Gerardus, BOS Romania general manager, told ZF Transilvania.

The company”s official declined to offer details about contract conditions or production capacities.

BOS Romania for the current year forecasts turnover worth 40 million euros, 26% higher than the figure for 2004, namely 31.6 million euros.

“Considering the large number of projects, particularly related to the new models launched by our customers, we estimate we will reach turnover worth 50 million euros in 2006,” stated Gerardus.

The company”s customers include renowned carmakers such as Renault, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche, Opel, Audi, Toyota, Landrover and Fiat.

“Our products cover the full range in terms of complexity, from manual operational systems, to the latest electronic systems in this field,” the BOS Romania manager continued.

The German group entered the Romanian market in 2001 by setting up BOS Automotive Products Romania in Arad, in the Curtici-Arad Free Trade Area. The Germans chose Arad due to fiscal incentives offered by the Free Area, but also because the city is close to the plant in Hungary and stock can thus be easily transported. So far, the total value of the investments made in Arad has reached 17 million euros.

The company”s representative says that the western region of Romania would continue to lure investors in the car parts sector.

“In Romania, there is an upwards trend in this domain, especially in the western region, because many foreign car parts producers are directing orders and production toward this region, attracted by the low labour costs, the skilled work force and by the solid logistic possibilities,” Gerardus explained.

alina.pahoncia@zf.ro