Swedish home appliances maker Electrolux might raise its bet on Romania.
After having started to make cookers in Satu Mare nearly six years ago, Electrolux might begin manufacturing washing machines locally, as well.
The move would therefore be part of the strategy the Swedish group announced a year ago, which entails developing its Eastern European operations. This strategy sees Electrolux opening a new refrigerating equipment factory in Hungary and a washing machine factory in Russia, while the capacity of its Satu Mare-based cooker factory should double following relocation of part of the Western European production.
Things might not stop here, though, as a delegation of the Swedish group visited Uzina Mecanica Cugir (Cugir Mechanical Plant), which makes the Albalux washers, last week. "We have a cooker factory in Romania, which is doing very well and we are always on the lookout for new investment opportunities. We have not made a decision yet, the purpose of our visit was to collect information," Ulrich Gartner, Electrolux Europe PR vice-president told Ziarul Financiar.
The representatives of the plant in Cugir are optimistic, though. "The talks hint the new plant should be worth 70 million euros. We offered co-operation either by partnership or by various productive facilities," Cornel Dirjan, UM Cugir general manager, was quoted as saying by Mediafax.
Electrolux' decision to invest in UM Cugir is up to the offer the company will get from the City Hall, the general manager of the company says. Low salaries in Romania are yet another argument that might make the Swedish producer invest on this market.
"It is not about work force costs alone here. If we are to invest in a specific location we need to have other elements, as well, with infrastructure being the handiest example in this regard," Gartner added. Electrolux currently has one washing machine factory in Spain, Italy and Poland each and decided to build another one in Russia in the second half of this year, which should make 150,000 units a year at first.
ionut.bonoiu@zf.ro
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
