Supported by the USAID-Sida FIRMA Project and the BiH Foreign Trade Chamber, the BiH automotive components industry won praise and attention with its joint exhibition at the Second International Exhibition of Automotive Components in South East Europe - SEE AutoCompoNet 2011 - which was held in Kragujevac, BiH, on May 10-12, 2011.
The USAID-Sida FIRMA Project supported design of the joint exhibition stand, which exhibit organizers deemed "the finest one at the trade show". BiH exhibitors included Prevent Group from Visoko, Mann-Hummel BA from Tešanj, Enker from Tešanj, FAMOS from Istočno Sarajevo, Nova Elektromehanika from Banja Luka, Čajavec FSU from Laktaši and Plamingo from Gračanica.
The companies established at least 36 new business contacts during the fair, and reconnected with dozens more. Among them were large producers and suppliers such as Fiat Serbia, Bosch, Magna, Federal Mogul and Mecaplast.
In addition, a number of BiH suppliers entered the so-called "Fiat green status group", which means that they could soon become suppliers for Fiat in Serbia. According to a Fiat representative, 135 automotive component suppliers from ex-Yugoslavia had applied for -- and 79 had received -- the "green status", meaning they had met the standards and could supply parts for Fiat. Forty-six companies qualified for "yellow status, which requires certain corrections as regards Fiat requirements.
Although the Kragujevac trade show has just 56 exhibitors, this fair could take on new significance in its future editions, particularly for suppliers from ex-Yugoslav countries, due to the start of Fiat production in early 2012.
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