The company is set to invest EUR 300 million over the next two years in a 80,000 sqm production unit, and gradually start assembling Mercedes-Benz’s nine-speed automatic transmission called 9G-Tronic.
The company aims to use this transmission for almost all cars with rear-while drive, according to Markus Schafer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz cars, production & supply chain management.
Star Transmission has taken out EUR 37.4 million in state aid for this project, which is set to create 500 new jobs in Alba County. The new employees will undergo specialization courses in Germany.
At present, the company employs around 1,200 people at two plants based in Alba County. The company makes car components such as sprockets and idler wheels and Cugir, in a plant that was opened in 2011. Meanwhile, in Sebes, the company has started to assemble last year five-speed transmissions and this year the dual-clutch transmission, which is fitted on premium cars.
“Daimer shows confidence in Romania and we have reached another milestone in relations between Germany and Romania,” said Werner Hans Lauk, the German Ambassador in Bucharest. He underlined the importance of the dual-education system, which can create employment opportunities for the youth and increase Romania’s overall economic competitiveness.
The company has inaugurated last year a school using the dual-education system with other companies in Alba.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said during the inaugural event that the motorway linking Sebes to Nadlac (the western border to Hungary) will be finished in 2015.
“I hope this, and I know it depends on politicians, that very soon the airports in Sibiu and Timisoara will be Schengen airports and I think this will be done fast, and I believe this will also contribute to the security and predictability of an investment in Romania,” said Ponta. (source: business-review.eu)
