The De’Longhi plant therefore filled the void left by Nokia in terms of business and exports, as Cluj County is one of the most dynamic in Romania by development level, having attracted investors like Bosch, Fujikura and Emerson.
De’Longhi Romania, which posted 320 million lei (EUR72.4 million) revenue last year, started out with a EUR11.5 million state aid in October 2012, almost half of the EUR20 million investment project it planned to implement. At the time, De’Longhi promised to employ 677 employee by the time the project was completed, which was three years from its start.
The company hired 687 people in Romania, according to governmental data valid for late June.
The development of the home appliances manufacturer in Cluj County can be seen in the ranking of the countries to which the products made in the area are shipped. Italy ranks first, followed by Germany and France. Out of the EUR1 billion exports conducted by the companies in Cluj County, about EUR210 million go to Italy, according to the Trade Registry data.
De’Longhi began manufacturing operations in Jucu with 100 employees in March 2013. Some of the people it hired had previously worked for Nokia.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)