Ina Schaeffler investment at 90m euros

Ina Schaeffler, a German company specialised in producing ball bearings, has reached the halfway stage in the second phase of its investment in Brasov. The total investment is expected to reach around 180 million euros.

“We”ve finished the building for the company”s second production unit and now we can start work on the production lines. So far we have invested 90 million euros,” said Alexandru Blemovici, chief of operations with Ina Schaeffler in Romania.

Last October saw Ina open its first production facility in Brasov. The total built area of the project is expected to exceed 50,000 square metres, and at full capacity it will have more than 3,000 employees. Before investing in its own production facilities, Ina rented a number of production halls at the Tractorul Brasov factory.

This project, which began mid 2003, is scheduled for completion in the autumn of 2007 and is split into three stages of approximately equal value.

“Our company”s turnover for 2004 was not relevant in terms of operations on the Romanian market, since the two months of operation of the first production unit are being looked on as a trial. Our main target for this year is to finalise the second phase of the project,” said Blemovici.

At the time the project was launched, the chairman of Ina Schaeffler board, Jurgen Geissinger, announced that the company”s annual turnover would reach around 50 million euros at the end of the first investment stage.

Production will focus on linear technical components for the machine tools industry and gears and engine parts for the car industry.

“It was decided not to produce ball bearings in Romania because of the already existing facilities owned by Ina Schaeffler worldwide,” Blemovici added.

In the first stage, the entire production from Brasov will go to foreign markets, including to customers from within the group.