One of the few cities in Romania where “the managers of German companies need not drag a translator around,” that is Sibiu, has attracted significant investments from the companies in the largest European economy.
Four German companies along with other European firms have settled in Sibiu in the Zona Industriala de Vest (Industrial Zone West) this year and their investment plans are worth nearly 50 million euros.
Besides the investments announced by SNR Roulements (French ball bearing maker) and Continental (German automotive industry player), other companies have joined in lately. It is about Bramac (Austrian-French cover maker), Guehring OHG (German chipper manufacturer) or RUD Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz (Germany).
The trailblazer in terms of investments in Sibiu was SNR Roulements, part of the Renault Group. It bought 13 ha of land this spring where it began building a factory that will produce ball bearings for gears used in Renault, Fiat and Volkswagen vehicles. The total investment is worth 6 million euros.
The local authorities then started talks with Germany’s Continental Group, which makes subassemblies for the automotive industry and wanted to open a new production facility to manufacture electronic components for braking systems and a research centre.
The company bought 22.7 ha of land and began construction works on the new factory in September. The investment will be worth 20 million euros and the production is due to start in 2004.
“Names like Renault and Continental have drawn the attention of other investors to Sibiu, paving the way for other companies,” Klaus Johannis, Sibiu mayor said. Bramac, a maker of roof cover systems has settled in Sibiu, as well, where it plans to invest about 6 million euros in a production facility. Guehring OHG in its turn has a 5 million euro investment planned. Also RUD Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz, which has Daimler Chrysler, BMW and Porsche among its clients, intends to invest 5 million euros in a factory. miruna.lebedencu@zf.ro