The German-Japanese company Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze (SEBN) will put into operation a factory for producing wiring for the automotive industry in Orhei on 30 October 2017. The enterprise will provide about 2,500 new jobs, according to an article published in an economic newspaper Logos-Press.
SEBN started its work in Moldova in late 2015 and the discussions on its possible entrance on the Moldovan market began in November 2013. The present director of the SEBN representation in Moldova, Igor Corman, who held the office of parliament speaker at that time, invited representatives of SEBN in Moldova during a visit to Germany. The invitation was accepted, so that the visit to Moldova was paid in late 2013.
“Two years after the first meeting with investors, Igor Corman gave up the legislative activity and ruled to join the organization and implementation of the project. Thus, he took over the management of the new company, registered in Moldova in December 2015. Since the beginning, along with the production manager, Polish citizen Jerzy Lalouk, they started selecting a team of managers and also prepared the needed contracts for the construction of the new factory,” the newspaper reads.
The business started from scratch, and at present, the company has over 470 employees. Initially, the production of wiring was launched at a temporarily hired shed with an area of 2,600 square metres. “The industrial production of wiring started in August 2016. In that year, the sales amounted to about 3.8 million euros. Also in August 2016, the construction of the factory began around Orhei. To this end, the Austrian company Strabag was selected. It is worth to be noted that the construction works are carried out on an area of eight hectares,” the newspaper also reads.
“Logos-Press” also writes that the serious intentions of the SEBN company in Moldova are confirmed by figures. Thus, 22 million euros was used for the construction of the plant on an area of about 27,000 squares metres. The investment made at the first stage, including the cost of equipment, amounts to about 30 million euros.
“An investor of this level pays special attention to the labour force. In this respect, SEBN has a clear-cut and well through-out strategy. We worked out a strategy of recruiting. We have employees from Chisinau, Orhei and neighbouring villages. I am glad that I have managed to meet here young and experienced people, who want and are prepared to work,” Igor Corman said.
For the time being, the SEBN company has not launched a campaign of promoting notifications about the present jobs; yet people come independently. At this phase, emphasis is put on residents from the Orhei town and of the region; yet, according to the management of the enterprise, if necessary, the carriage of workers from distances of 25-30 km can be organized.
The sales market for the SEBN production is ensured, as the talks with the potential client have been carried out for long time ago. Also, the company has not difficulties with the raw material, which is imported. The SEMN company does not exclude probability to extend its business in Moldova. According to Igor Corman, he wants not only one SEBN plant to work in Moldova in the next 4-5 years.
