Swiss manufacturer VAT expands factory in Romania’s Arad

VAT Romania, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based VAT Group, announced that it is expanding its factory in Arad by approximately 800 sqm, just over a year after the production facility opened. The expansion is intended to support a gradual shift from components and subassemblies to finished products shipped directly to customers.

The construction is scheduled for completion by mid-December 2026. The additional space will include a shipping area for finished products, more storage capacity, and facilities supporting final assembly.

The component production capacity at the Arad plant increased by approximately 30% in 2026, with another expansion planned for 2027. VAT is also investing in local final-product assembly, automation, and digitalization.

“The development of the Arad factory confirms the potential we identified in Romania when we decided to build the new production facility,” said Alin Crețu, general manager of VAT Romania.

“Demand from the semiconductor industry and the capabilities we have developed here allow us to continue this evolution and gradually introduce new products and production processes in Arad.”

The factory currently produces components and products for the semiconductor, display, and photovoltaic industries, as well as scientific instruments and particle accelerator applications.

The production involves high-precision machining processes such as milling and turning. The resulting components are used in systems where precision, purity, and airtightness are required for vacuum-based manufacturing, the company said.

“Romania has strengthened its important role in our global production network, supplying components and assemblies used in some of the world’s most advanced technologies,” VAT Group CEO Urs Gantner stated.

The Romanian subsidiary had more than 500 employees at the end of the first half of 2026, an increase of over 50% from the end of 2025. The number of employees directly involved in production rose by more than 70% over the same period, and the company expects further workforce growth in 2027.

All products manufactured at the Arad plant are exported, currently to European markets.

VAT has operated in Romania since 2001, initially through a company called SYSMEC, which was fully integrated into VAT Group in 2008 and renamed VAT Romania in 2019. Arad is now one of the group’s three main operational centers worldwide, alongside facilities in Switzerland and Malaysia.

The factory opened in June 2025 and includes more than 3,000 sqm of cleanroom production space.

VAT Group, which specializes in high-performance vacuum valves, reported net sales of CHF 1.07 billion in 2025 and employs nearly 4,000 people worldwide.