Renault's investments in Romania will exceed the EUR 2 billion threshold this year, from the EUR 1.6 billion level at end 2010, according to Radu Mavrodin, executive HR manager with Groupe Renault România, quoted by Mediafax newswire. The group sets aside EUR 300 million for salaries in Romania every year. Renault owns local car maker Dacia and its factory in Pitesti.

“Things have changed since 2004, after the launch of Logan. Back then, French colleagues though it was a punishment to come to Romania, the end of their career. Things have changed, all employees with top positions want to come to Romania, an important stage in their career,” Mavrodin explained.

Romania is the second most important country for car maker Renault, where it brought over 3 percent of the country's GDP.

Dacia launched its new Lodgy model at the car show in Geneva earlier this month. Dacia Logan remains the most sold car in Romania last year, with 15,800 units sold, even though the figure was down 31 percent from 2010.

Renault entered the Romanian market in 1999 when it took over the Automobile Dacia factory in Pitesti when itwas privatized by the Romanian state. Renault turned Dacia into an international brand and raised production in Pitesti from 86,000 vehicles in 1999 to over 340,000 in 2010.  The group also developed a technical center in Titu and a design center in Bucharest, both operating under Renault Technologie Roumanie

editor@romania-insider.com