At full capacity, the new research center will employ nearly 2,400 engineers. This is the biggest investment announced this year on the Romanian automotive market in an engineering division.
Romania is changing from a country where automotive manufacturers and suppliers of car parts were building plants thanks to the low costs, into a location where the same companies are now building research centers, employing Romanian engineers to develop new cars and high-technology components.
“At present the engineering center in Timisoara employs 1,800,” said Christian von Albrichsfeld, general manager of Continental Automotive and manager in charge of research and development in Romania.
“Together with the electronic equipment plant we have the perfect combination for research and development operations. We can develop, test and manufacture in the same location.”