One of the leading international suppliers and manufacturers of car parts, Ixetic GmbH of Germany, has started producing vacuum pumps in a newly-built factory in Rakovski. In spite of the global economic downturn, the company's management insists that the operation in Bulgaria will have a bright future.

The managing directors of the company are Georg Wolf and Norbert Gruber. Ixetic's line covers hydraulic pumps for steering, chassis and gearbox applications, vacuum pumps for brake systems, air-conditioning compressors in cars and lubricating oil pumps. Among some of the famous and renowned longstanding customers of the company are internationally established brands such as Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen and all leading manufacturers of heavy and medium-heavy duty trucks such as ITEC, Scania, Daimler and Volvo.

Jörn Neubert, Managing Director of ixetic Bulgaria, said that despite the current worldwide sales slump in the car industry, the company was sticking to its original investment plans. "Overall, we have invested around eight million euros in building and equipment, and we plan to create more jobs over the next few months. This will allow us to survive in the face of ever-increasing international competition, and also secure the future of our German production plants," Stroitelstvo Gradut had reported.

Since January 2009, 30 people have been employed at the new Rakovski plant, which manufactures vacuum pump components. By the end of 2009, the number of workers at the plant will have increased to 100. By 2010, the plant is expected to employ 250 people on a permanent basis.

Speaking at the inauguration, German Ambassador Gudrun Steinacker praised the "commitment of the German company and drew attention to the good supply of well-trained and motivated workers in the region", according to ixetic website official statement.

Production of vacuum pump components has already started. About 30 employees are currently working on the production line. During the second half of the year, the production of steering pumps for heavy and medium-heavy trucks is also scheduled to start. "We are currently looking for suitably-qualified workers to work in this division, and will need an additional 70 skilled workers in total," said Ivo Petrov, who oversees the plant in Plovdiv.  "Afterwards, a total of approximately 250 workers will be employed at this site," said Petrov.     

The plant lies on a two ha of land. The gross area holding the construction amounts to 10 960 sq m, with a large two-storey administrative building adjacent to the large construction plant. Another new plant is also in the pipeline to be completed by 2010 to boost the output as well as the workforce of the plant.

The parent company is based in Bad Homburg (Hesse/Germany), a major manufacturer of hydraulic and vacuum pumps for the car industry. In 2008 the company's turnover amounted to 300 million euro. Since March 2006, Ixetic has been a sole company. Before that, however, the firm was part of the company LuK Fahrzeug-Hydraulik and LuK Automobiltechnik, which, in turn, belonged to INA Holding Schaeffler KG.

Employing more than 1200 employees at its German plants in Bad Homburg and Hückeswagen, it will add another 250 workers from its plant in Bulgaria. Moroever, the firm is represented around the world with branches in Brunswick (USA) and Yokohama (Japan) as well as agencies in Russia, China, India and Korea.