American auto parts manufacturer Johnson Controls this week officially opened its car seating factory in Craiova, Southern Romania. The production unit will deliver complete seating systems for Fords new B-Max minivan, that will also be produced in Romania.

“Romania is an important player in the continuously increasing car market in Eastern Europe, given the statistics that point to an 80 percent growth of the car market in Romania over the following four years,” said Jeff Williams, Group Vice President and General Manager, Johnson Controls Automotive Customer Group Americas.

Johnson Control's factory is nearby Ford's factory, close to the area where the B-Max engines are being built. So far 100 people work in the new factory and the American company plans to hire 60 more in the coming months, according to Alexandru Oprescu, plant manager for the Craiova factory.

Johnson Controls has production units in Romania in Mioveni and Ploiesti, where it produces seat, benches and covers for Renault brands, Nissan, Opel and Seat. Johnson Controls Romania was established in 2002, when it opened the factory in Mioveni, followed by the construction of production units in Pitesti and Ploiesti in 2004. Johnson Controls Automotive Experience employs approximately 4,500 people in Romania. Additionally, Johnson Controls recently acquired the automotive business of Romanian company Spumotim SA which included two polyurethane foam plants in Timisoara and Poiana Lacului.

editor@romania-insider.com