TEXTINATION NEWSLINE 2012-10-30 N ORTHERN S ERBIA ATTRACTS MORE I NVESTORS FORD SUPPLIER AGENA TO BUILD PLANT / OTHER PROJECTS ON THE WAY

Belgrade (gtai) - One area of business activities in the Autonomous Province of in northern is the municipality of Ruma. In recent months it could attract half a dozen new foreign and local investors. Some plants are already under construction, for others, according to the city government, concrete agreements have been concluded. The focus is on the automotive industry and textile and leather industries.

© Katharina Wieland Müller / pixelio.de The mayor of Ruma, Goran Vukovic can show, regardless of the economic crisis, which Serbia still has in a firm grip, some success in attracting new investors from home and abroad. Currently it is being worked on the construction of at least four plants. The decision on the realization of some other projects is imminent, Vukovic says.

Among the most important ongoing projects is a plant of the automotive component supplier Agena (part of the British Albon Engineering & Manufacturing Plc.). The plan is to produce connecting rods for the U.S. automaker Ford from beginning of 2013 at the site in Ruma. The investment costs of the for now two project phases can be specified with EUR 8.5 million. The construction of the plant was started in May 2011. The city has provided the company with a plot of land of about 5 acres. In the nearby town Simanovci © Karl-Heinz Laube / pixelio.de Agena already operates a manufacturing facility for tools and parts for the automotive industry. Nearing completion in Ruma is also a factory for swimwear of the Italian company Calzedonia's. The project is realized by the Serbian subsidiary of Calzedonia, Adriana.tex, based in . In a first step a 500 sqm. production hall will be put into operation at the end of 2012. Until 2015 the expansion to approximately 5,000 sqm. will take place. The municipal council of Ruma bears the development costs for the property.

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In an early realization phase there are also two projects of Serbian investors. In the industrial zone of Rumska Petlja the -based Capital Group and Insert is building capacity for hats and footwear, components and accessories to be made on behalf of well-known international brand companies. The expansion of its existing plant in Serbia, the Slovenian company Cablex Group is considering for the location of Ruma. The company is already producing in the to the Ruma community belonging village Platicevo cordsets for the needs of home appliances manufacturers.

According to mayor Vukovic some further concrete investment agreements have been signed, others are under negotiation. In May 2012 the city government signed a letter of intent with a Swedish-Chinese Company (PR China) on a project for the production of cushion fillings, © Lupo / pixelio.de which are intended mainly for export to Central and Eastern Europe. The construction of the plant could be started in 2013. The investment costs are estimated at EUR 20 million.

In advanced negotiations are also two projects with German companies of the automotive industry - with the companies Brose and EAC. Also the Swiss company Sika will settle a plant for manufacturing of various construction chemical products (additives) in the catchment area of Ruma. Moreover, a letter of intent has been signed with the Swedish company Elekta. The agreement concerns the installation of x-ray equipment, various other medical technologies and the establishment of a service and training center in Ruma.

In the view of Vukovic the attractiveness of Ruma as an investment location is in a substantial part thanks to the favorable geographical position of the city, very close to major road axis. To enable projects the community gave investors in the past in many cases free land and adopted development costs. More possibilities for settlements exist in the industrial zone of Rumska Petlja. Of the total of 308 ha for designated http://d-maps.com/carte.php?lib=serbien_Lankarte&num_car=27604&lang=de

© Textination GmbH – 2 – industrial use areas, 237 ha have been already developed.

Source: Waldemar Lichter, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

Contact Address: Municipality of Ruma Mayor: Goran Vukovic 22400 Ruma, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, Glavna 155 Tel: 00381/22/47 93 14, Fax: -47 95 88 Email: [email protected], Internet: http://www.ruma.rs Internet: http://www.ruma.rs

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