eKapija`s investment team has recently done an analysis and formed the rank list of investments and investment ideas that drew the greatest attention of eKapija`s users in 2011. The results are very interesting, some are expected, but there is a plenty of surprises, so that we`ve decided to share this information with you.
Projects are classified into 12 categories and this time we are presenting the most interesting investments in the category of INDUSTRY.
The number of candidates for this list was bigger than ever before. That tells us that, although it may not be that obvious, 2011 was the year of the Serbian industry. Also, what is encouraging is the fact that this list includes numerous world-renowned companies.
If 2010 is deemed as the year when the Serbian automotive industry started to gain impetus, then 2011 is definitely the year of its blooming. Examining the list of the 20 most interesting projects in the field of industry, it is not hard to make a conclusion that the entire previous year was marked by the manufacturers of car components. There is, of course, inevitable Fiat with its partners, which finally allowed us to see how its new model will (probably) look like.
However, when we speak about makers of automobile parts, although all their activities in Serbia were initiated by the arrival of Fiat, we can still divide them into two groups. One group consists of German investors, with their factories mainly situated in Vojvodina, and South Korea`s Yura, whose factory is located in Nis, whereas the other group comprises Fiat`s suppliers.
The list of stories that our readers found the most interesting also includes those about two recycling companies, which shows that ecological awareness is rising in our country, and so is the awareness of the needs for using alternative sources of energy.
The first place belongs to Germany`s Bosch, which officially announced December 1st that it would start the construction of a EUR 70 million factory of car wiper blades in Pecinci in early 2012. According to announcements, the production will begin as early as in 2013.
The construction of this factory, which will be part of Bosch`s Electrical Drives Division, should be fully completed until 2019, and the factory in Pecinci will employ a total of 620 workers. Although it is not their primary objective, since the entire production is currently destined for export, people at Bosch believe that they will definitely collaborate with Kragujevac-based FAS in the future.
The second-ranked is a factory of the French company Mecaplast in Zrenjanin, which was supposed to start producing interior parts for Fiat`s cars in early December 2011. However, the production has not commenced yet, but the training of workers is currently underway. Mecaplast will be employing 150 people.
The third on our list is a long-time cooperation between Italy and Serbia through the company Fiat Automobili Srbija (FAS). There is no doubt that the interest of our readers in this project is still strong, enabling Fiat to maintain its position among the most popular for the fourth consecutive year.
In 2011, however, we had an extra reason to be interested in the Kragujevac pearl - FAS finally allowed the citizens to see how El Zero would look like. According to announcements, the production of this new model should kick off in May.
As we learned, the new car will be about four meters long and its front end will resemble the one of Fiat 500. The double circular inner lights that celebrated Fiat 500 will also be used on the new car. El Zero with five seats will be the first to appear in the market and, if everything goes as planned, a model with seven seats will roll out from the factory in 2013.
(El Zero)
The fourth place belongs to Swarovski. Austria`s crystal empire will most likely arrive in our country this year, and the company announced that it would have a factory worth as much as EUR 40 million built in Subotica. A Memorandum of Understanding with the Serbian government was signed in November 2011.
Once finished, the factory in Subotica will be Swarovski`s first production facility outside Austria. Jewelry and world-famous crystals will be produced in the north of Vojvodina by 600 workers.
Swarovski is closely followed, both on the rank list and in Subotica, by Italy`s Calzedonia, which ranks fifth. After opening a stocking, lingerie and bathing suit factory in Sombor in 2010, the company from the Apennine Peninsula decided to establish a world of lace and silk in Subotica as well and announced in November 2011 that it would open a new production facility worth EUR 20 million and employ 1,000 people until the end of 2014.
The sixth-ranked is Benetton, which came to the rescue of ruined Nitex. Its investment is worth EUR 43.2 million, and it will enable the employment 2,700 workers over the next four years. Although it was announced that only 5 workers of Nitex would be kept, people at Benetton say that 800 textile workers will be hired until March 2012.
It`s been speculated lately that this company will open another factory in Nis.
The seventh place belongs to the production facilities of Germany`s Berthold Simon and Fasel Energy, which are building a tire recycling plant and a biogas power plant in Sid.
The eighth on this list is Fiat`s supplier Johnson Control and its car interior factory in Kragujevac, which has been completed recently.
The ninth-ranked is the story about the reawakening of Bor – construction of a new smelter and sulfuric acid plant. This investment is also very important from the ecological aspect - a new, modern smelter will end the suffering of people living in neighboring villages who are troubled by the smoke coming from the old smelter.
The tenth place belongs to Ball Packaging`s second production line in Zemun, which was put in operation to double the production of tin cans at the company that operates in our country since 2005.
The eleventh place is shared by another two of Fiat`s key suppliers – Italian companies Sigit SpA and HT&L Fitting SpA.
Sigit SpA makes plastic parts for vehicles, whereas HT&L Fitting SpA assembles wheels for Fiat`s vehicles in the domestic market. Both companies have already finished the construction of their factories in Grosnica Industrial Zone, and they are expected to be put in operation very soon.
The twelfth is an investment by Cooper Tire, which saved Krusevac-based Trayal that had given a headache to many people. The U.S. company taken over the tire factory in Krusevac in early December for EUR 13 million. The first Cooper tires will come out from that factory as early as in mid-February, and the management of the U.S. company believe that the factory will be producing 3.3m tires a year starting late 2013.
Take a look at the complete rank list of investments in the category of INDUSTRY and compare it with your own opinions, expectations and assessments.
One more thing - have you already read which projects drew your greatest attention in the category of SPORTS, SHOPPING CENTERS, and TOURISM, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION?
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