Natuzzi comfortably seated in Romania

Italy-based Natuzzi will double the productive capacity of its sofa factory in Baia Mare by 2005, following a 25 million euro investment, the Romanian Agency for Foreign Investment (ARIS) announced. Natuzzi entered the Romanian market in 2001 when it built the Italsofa factory in Baia Mare from scratch, and has invested more than 35 million euros in this project, according to ARIS. Italsofa, which takes up 20 hectares, makes leather and textile sofas, as well as semifab products that are used domestically or exported to Italy. Natuzzi's international development and the growing demand for its products have made it expand its operations in Baia Mare. The productive facilities will be expanded on another 15 hectares adjacent to the current location, which could lead to creating 1,200 more jobs, compared with the 400 initially created, ARIS says.&nbs p;ZF