Italy’s Aunde to start construction of Serbian site in Feb 2013 - municipality

The construction, set to go off in February 2013, will be subsidized by the Serbian government with 6,000 euro ($7,736) per employee, council chairman Dragan Markovic – Palma said in a statement published on the municipality’s website. The factory will employ initially 100 and another 200 over the next two years.

The project envisages a 3,500 square metre production facility and further expansion later on, managing director of Aunde Enrico Vergnano said after the signing ceremony. The Italian company has a plan to shift its entire production of seats for the Fiat 500l model to Serbia, Vergnano announced.

The Fiat 500l model went into production in Fiat Serbia's plant in Kragujevac in July 2012. The company plans to produce 30,000 units this year and raise its output to 160,000 cars in 2013. Kragujevac is some 40 kilometres away from the city of Jagodina.

The Aunde Group, with its brands Aunde, Isringhausen and Esteban, comprises more than 80 plants in 25 countries.

($=0.7756 euro)