Automotive components manufacturing in Macedonia

Macedonia is a favorable location for the automotive components sector due to many factors. The Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion of the Republic of Macedonia recently published a detailed report on the topic, listing all the major advantages for foreign investors when setting up their business in the country - the strategic location, proximity to assembly plants in Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey, and duty-free access to the European market.

Invest in Macedonia also describes the country as an ideal location for corporations looking to set up or relocate their business, thanks to a winning combination of a cost-competitive environment, educated and accessible workforce. Macedonia’s proximity to the rapidly growing automotive manufacturing base in Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey, which have become a regional superpower in the automotive industry, is another strong point. The geographical proximity to these markets allows low distribution costs and "just-in-time" product delivery from Macedonia.

Macedonia’s history of automotive components manufacturing started as early as the 1960s - initially to supply the former Yugoslavian automotive producer Zastava. Today, the automotive components sector consists of several companies. The products produced in compliance with automotive standards TS 16040 and ISO 9001, which is an assurance that factories in the Macedonian automotive components sector are able to export their goods.

Using information and research data from the Automotive Cluster of Macedonia, Invest in Macedonia assesses that the country is particularly suitable as a location for the manufacture of high value to weight and labor intensive products such as safety systems (seat belts, airbags), electronics (controllers, sensors), precision engineered and plastic products, aluminium and zinc die-casting, and grey iron casting components.

The agency’s report also reveals Macedonia’s export of automotive components by type: 1,45% of clutches and parts, 1,58% of electric accumulators, 1,75% of printed circuits, 2,42% of safety seat belts, 3,48% of air brakes and parts, and 84,68% of catalysts. The export of Automotive components by country is as follows: Italy 3,02%, China 3,39%, Slovenia 4,03%, Romania 4,51%, Russian Federation 6,56%, Greece 7,36%, Serbia 17,97%, Germany 21,38%, Other 31,79%.

Currently there are more than 50 companies operating in the automotive components sector in Macedonia, which cover various manufacturing activities such as covering seat belts and seat belt parts production, busses and coaches, various automotive and machine parts, and railway vehicles and components, and others. In this issue of the South-East European INDUSTRIAL Market magazine we have comprised a list of some of the most prominent companies operating on the market. The gathered information is taken from the companies’ respective websites and from the Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion of the Republic of Macedonia.

• Aluminium and Zinc Foundry Resen
• Amphenol
• Brako
• Ein-Sof
• HI-TECH Corporation
• Johnson Controls
• KGL Systems
• Marana Automotive
• Miriplast
• RDV Faber
• Ruen
• STD
• Svemek
• Tehnoproduct
• TeknoHose
• TE – TE Plast
• Van Hool
• Velmax