Continental group, the biggest German investor in the car parts industry, will come to have 5,000 employees in Romania around 2010, compared with the current 3,500.
"We plan to double the production of the Contitech unit in Timisoara and the research centre in Sibiu is going to reach 300 employees, from the almost 200 at present, over the next three years," stated Thomas Sattelberger, the Continental board member in charge of the human resources department.
The Germans also announced they intended to expand the Timisoara-based Continental Automotive Products plant, with its production capacity due to rise to 16 million tyres per year by 2008, from 12.5 million tyres at the moment.
Romania is increasingly more attractive for Continental as a retail market, too amid the accelerated growth the car industry has been witnessing in recent years.
"The markets of Eastern Europe and of Romania particularly are growing, which is only natural. If you want to grow, you have to serve developing markets," commented Sattelberger. Approximately 90 percent of Continental production in Romania is currently exported.
The Germans will also boost their investments in the training of their current or future employees, by setting up an education programme in partnership with the technical universities in Sibiu and Timisoara.
"Cooperation with these universities will make our recruitment process easier.
"We are concentrating on attracting young graduates, especially for the research centre in Sibiu," added Thomas Sattelberger.
Partnerships with the technical universities of Sibiu and Timisoara could translate into postgraduate programmes for Continental's employees in Romania or internships and training programmes for students and implicitly in the possibility of subsequently working in the group's production facilities starting next year.
Continental group was one of the first German investors to spot the opportunities of the Romanian market as a cheap and highly skilled labour force location.
The group started investing in 1998 by constructing from scratch a plant manufacturing car tyres in Timisoara.
Another three car parts production facilities, a research centre and a metallic cord plant built together with Italy's Pirelli group followed.
Germany's Continental group has invested more than 250 million euros in Romania so far and reached turnover worth above 260 million euros last year, according to Finance Ministry data.
Other German companies, such as Draxlmaier, BOS GmbH&Co, Takata Petri or Ina Schaeffer currently operate in the car parts industry.
Continental group last year reported consolidated turnover worth 13.8 billion euros, having a total number of 85,000 employees.
Continental in Romania
Started investments on the domestic market in 1998 by building a plant manufacturing car tyres in Timisoara
Later built another 3 car parts production facilities, set up a research centre and built a metallic cord plant together with Italy's Pirelli group
Has so far invested over 250m euros on the Romanian market
Reached turnover worth above 260m euros in 2005
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