The auto industry needs 12,000 employees in 2008

“We will need qualified people. About 8,000 for the components industry, 3,500 to increase production at Automobile Dacia, and 800 for Renault Technologies Romania,” Stroe added.

He also said that the evolution of Daewoo Romania following its takeover by Ford cannot be estimated until the conclusion of the European Comission investigation. The Romanian government was accused of lending Ford a hand in the takeover.
Some 110,000 people work in the auto industry in Romania, most of them in car parts production.

Foreign auto parts makers have come to Romania in recent years, attracted by the inexpensive work force and the fact that the country has joined the European Union. According to ACAROM, their revenue will amount to €3,68 billion in 2008, 50 percent more year-on-year.

Total revenues will be about €6 bln. Foreign investments in the car parts industry amounted to €2.7 bln. The auto industry is still attractive to foreign investors, despite a significant increase in wages and the work force crisis.
There are several companies in Romania with production lines, including INA-Schaeffler, Hutchinson, Trelleborg Automotive, Brose, and Calsonic Kansei.

The first 10 months of 2007 saw total demand of some 300,000 units (2e percent more than in the same period last year), with sales at 258,224 units. Imported cars rose by 51 percent, to 165,8884 units.