Kirchhoff Automotive will start chassis production in Romania mid-May, after finalizing work on the EUR 12 million factory on the Ford industrial platform in Craiova.

The factory, on some 12,000 sqm, will employ 180 by the end of the year, from the current 70.

Kirchhoff will supply car parts for the new Ford B-Max model. Components come from Kirchhoff's factory in Hungary, are finished in Craiova and later assembled in the Ford factory.

Ford wants to build 60,000 B-Max cars in Craiova this year, and 100,000 in 2013. The car manufacturer already started test production for the new model in the Romanian factory and will start series production in June this year.

Ford is Kirchhoff Automotive's second largest customer. Overall, the automotive division of Kirchhoff has around 7,900 employees in 29 plants and a turnover of EUR 970 million. This year, it aims to boost Kirchhoff's revenues to EUR 1.09 billion.

editor@romania-insider.com