Italy’s Magneti Marelli Eyes Serbian Truck Maker's Production Premises, No Plans To Keep Core Business - Media

Economy Ministry advisor Alexander Ljubic said that Magnetti Marelli is eyeing only the factory premises and that there has been no talk of continuing or expanding the current programme, Blic (www.blic.rs) reported.

Zastava Kamioni operates as a joint venture between the government in Belgrade and Fiat’s truck manufacturing unit Iveco with the Italian company owning a 46% stake, data from the website of the Serbian company indicated.  

If the talks between Magneti Marelli and the government in Belgrade succeed, the new factory will employ about 1,000 people, Blic said.

The Zastava Kamioni factory site is adjacent to a car factory owned by FAS, a joint venture company of Serbia's Zastava and Fiat.

The negotiations with Magneti Marelli on the acquisition of Zastava Kamioni are in their final stages, Serbian broadcaster b92 (www.b92.net) reported on Monday, quoting Kragujevac Deputy Mayor Nebojsa Zdravkovic.

Iveco is interested in building a bus factory on an area of 30 hectares in the Korman Polje industrial zone near Kragujevac, Blic also said.