“The automotive industry in Ploiesti has and still is a good source of candidates especially for technical, engineering and quality positions. We’ve been getting many people from the Craiova area lately where the automotive industry is not really stable,” says Simona Scutaru, Service Center Site Leader and HR Country Manager Federal Mogul Motorparts.
“Many candidates are Romanians who have returned from abroad and want to stay home, to be with their families.”
Federal Mogul Motorparts, part of the Federal Mogul Holdings Corporation, started building a new plant in Ploiesti in April, where it will make windshield wipers. The investment is valued at more than EUR10 million and the new plant is located in Ploiesti West Park, next to the brake pad plant of the US company, a $58 million investment, which it bought from Honeywell.
Ford Romania, which owns the automotive plant in Craiova, laid off almost 500 employees due to the decline of B-Max car and Ecoboost engine production. The decline in the car production took its toll on automotive component suppliers operating in that city, too, which, sent employees on furlough.
“Our 2015 plans entail boosting the number [of employees] to 330 by yearend. The expansion of investments and the start of windshield wiper production in the new plant will generate another 250 jobs,” Simona Scutaru said.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)