Supplier set to arrive before Mercedes

German-based Kolbenschmidt Pierburg, a producer of components for Mercedes A-Class engines, will invest up to 120 million euros in a plant in Dej, Cluj county. The same area is also the target of German group Daimler, which plans a 400 million-euro Mercedes production facility, but has yet to choose between Cluj county and Wroclaw, Poland. Kolbenschmidt officials have visited the Dej Industrial Park several times and, according to local officials, the German group intends to lease 15 hectares of land. The construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in the coming months so that production can start next year, according to the cited sources. The company’s main clients are Mercedes, Porsche and Jaguar. Contacted by ZF, Kolbenschmidt Pierburg representatives have confirmed that they are currently still planning their investment in Romania. “This is why we cannot provide details on when the project in the Dej Industrial Park will start, the exact value of the investment, or the number of employees,” company officials stated. Sources close to the project have, however, said investments will total 80 – 120 million euros. The German group, with annual revenues worth over 2 billion euros, has 5 divisions, with the investment to come from KS Aluminium Technologie, which specialises in engine blocks. Kolbenschmidt Pierburg posted sales worth 224 million euros in 2006.