(10/01/2014) WITTE Automotive extends its global presence: yesterday, Mr. Rosen Plevneliev, President of Bulgaria together with Dr. Manfred Pueschel, Chairman of the Advisory Board of WITTE Automotive GmbH, opened officially a new production facility in Bulgaria.
“I am a president but I am also an engineer and I have to say that this plant is a very important achievement not only for Ruse but for Bulgaria”, President Plevneliev declared in his opening speech. Dr. Pueschel proudly praised: “On 10th of October 2013, we met here for the laying of the foundation stone. Today, only one year later, we are celebrating the official opening of the most modern plant of WITTE Automotive covering an area of 15,000 square meters and that inclusive the logistics infrastructure.”
The amount of investment will reach approx. 10 million euro till the end of the year 2015. The production of tailgate and seat latches, handles and the Automatic Tolerance Compensation System WITOL® will be produced on latest assembly lines. WITTE as one of the leading producers of locking systems for the automotive industry supplies especially its customers from south-eastern Europe from the Bulgarian plant.
“All the plants of the WITTE group will profit from this important development of the company. Thanks to this step we will increase our competitiveness and improve direct contacts with our customers”, predicts Rainer Goelz, CEO of the WITTE Group. WITTE Automotive Bulgaria acts not only as a production plant but thanks to its potentials in development also as a design and development site.
The Bulgarian plant started in May 2010 in rented industrial premises. Manufacturing began with three machines and six employees. Already after one year the number of employees in the factory reached 51 and in May 2012 the company doubled this number and welcomed its hundredth employee. The production with many new products increased the same way and the turnover exceeded 10 million EUR. According to the global growth strategy of the WITTE Group an increase in both the turnover and the number of employees is expected in 2014.
Persons on the photo from the left: R. Gölz (managing director WITTE Automotive), V. Shtonov (minister of economy BG), T. Jindra (managing director WITTE Automotive Bulgaria), R.Plevneliev (president BG), Dr. M. Püschel (chairman of the supervisory board WITTE Automotive), P. Stoilov (lord mayor of Ruse, BG), E. Rückert (managing director WITTE Automotive), S. Ivanov (regional government), H.Hristov (managing director WITTE Automotive Bulgaria), R. Eble (managing director WITTE Automotive)