Electronics Manufacturing Industry in Bulgaria
• Electronics • Technical Articles • South-East European INDUSTRIAL Мarket - issue 3/2010
Major players, current status and market trends
The following SEEIM Survey "Electronics manufacturing industry in Bulgaria" presents the results of an extensive survey organized by South-East European INDUSTRIAL Market magazine, to the main manufacturers of electronic products on the Bulgarian market. The purpose of the survey is to outline the current status and trends of the Bulgarian electronics industry.
Advanced manufacturing technologies, experienced work force and low competitive scenario are positioning Bulgaria as a key electronics manufacturing hub in Southeast Europe. The country is increasingly being preferred by many electronics assemblers and is set to emerge as one of the key recipients of foreign direct investments in electronics industry. Most of the companies in the branch are small or medium-sized enterprises, generally export oriented. Their production serves industrial, automotive, medical, telecommunications, military, lighting, security, defense, renewable and conventional energy equipment and consumer electronics markets. The majority of manufacturers have quality management systems applied.
One of the main characteristic of Bulgarian electronics manufacturers is that many OEM companies, which develop and manufacture their own products, offer EMS services to other Bulgarian and foreign clients. The survey results point out that 62% of the respondents are equipped with automatic machines or assembly lines, 54% have semi-automatic assembly equipment, and 80% perform manual assembly too. Regarding the soldering technologies, widely used is reflow process (62% of respondents), followed by wave soldering (46%) and selective soldering (25%). Manual soldering is carried out at 80% of companies. The most widely used testing procedure is functional test (at 85% of respondents), followed by optical inspection (56%), in-circuit testing (50%) and automatic optical inspection (29%). Only three of the participating in the survey companies are carrying out X-ray inspection.
Components and equipment for the electronics manufacturing industry are also broadly produced in Bulgaria. Most widely spread is the manufacture of PCBs, electromechanics, passives, connectors and mechanical components, but there are also producers of hybrid ICs, microelectronic components, sensors and development tools, design centers etc. Unique is probably the only company in the region, producing automatic placement machines, stencil printers and other SMT equipment.
We hope that this first of its kind study on Bulgarian electronics industry will benefit both the participating companies, manufacturers and suppliers of components, equipment and materials, serving the electronic industry. Presented on the following pages results thereof may be the prerequisite for the expansion of B2B contacts between Bulgarian producers and their foreign partners.
ArTech
ArTech is an OEM company, developing and producing industrial AC/DC motor drives, DC servo drives, controlled rectifiers for DC motors, PV trackers, galvanic rectifiers, power solid state relays, Inverters for induction motors.
Atis Telecontrol
Atis Telecontrol is an industrial electronics OEM. The main products of the company are programmable controllers, tank remote control systems and software. The company is also specialized in design and manufacturing of control systems for heating substations, operator systems for heat transfer networks, pressure and temperature instrumentation.
Carat Electronics
Carat Electronics, a part of Zlaten Lev Holding JSC, is specialized in development and production of electronic cash registers, POS terminals, power meters and systems etc. The company has achieved a finished production cycle – apart from the electronic modules, it manufactures the hardware and firmware of the products as well. Carat Electronics supplies a large number of meters to European electricity distribution companies and is ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certificated.
Centillion
Centillion manufactures electronic modules and products for the medical electronics, control and vision systems, telecommunications and industry. The manufacturing processes include SMT and TH assembly, mechanical assembly, measurement of the functional parameters, adjustments and programming; assembly of fine optics and mechanics in dust-free (clean room environment). The company has ISO 9000:2008 certification.
Comet Electronics
Comet Electronics runs a production line for SMD and TH assembly of circuit boards. Among the main products manufactured by the company are the LED lighting modules. Also, Comet Electronics is known at Bulgarian market as a supplier of components, parts, appliances and accessories, technological equipment, devices and consumables for the electronics manufacturing industry.
Conel
Conel is a remote controls manufacturer. The company is producing a wide variety of remote control units for different applications, based on own programmable controller IC GS702. Its focus is on customized, application-specific products, but also in several mass-manufactured applications. Conel is exporting in eleven countries.
Conis Elco
Conis Elco is manufacturing passive components for the electronic and electrical industries. The company is specialized in the design, development, production and supply of various types of capacitors, RFI filters and capacitor modules. The production is exported to many European countries.
Datecs
Datecs is a well known brand of electronic cash registers with fiscal memory in Central and Eastern Europe. The company is producing electronic cash registers, electronic scales, working in conjunction with a cash register and label printer; POLE display, fiscal, "kitchen”, label and ESC/POS printers; POS equipment. Datecs is also specialized in PCB Assembly and GIS software. Datecs has ISO 9001:2008 and CE-048 certification.
Electron Consortium
Electron Consortium is specialized in the production of communication and radar equipment, control systems, radio counter-action, etc. The company has qualified specialists in the field of communication, radar and control systems, which allows the integration of workgroups for specific orders. Electron Consortium has R&D facilities, equipped with modern measuring equipment, production lines for PCB assembly and is ISO 9001:2008 certificated.
ELO
ELO is a manufacturer of electronic and microprocessor devices in the field of process control; medical systems, UPS for heating system, security and fire alarm systems; scientific and dedicated equipment. The main products of ELO are LED curing and therapeutic lamps, industrial electronics. ELO has ISO 9001:2008 certificate.
Eltoms
Main activity of Eltoms is design, manufacturing and mounting of electronic regulating equipment, digital protection instrumentation, fault indicators, automatic voltage regulators, temperature protection for power transformers and other devices for power substation up to 110 kV. Products of the company are implemented in the electricity and electricity companies in departmental substations of all large industrial enterprises in Bulgaria but also in Macedonia, Syria, Moldova and other countries.
Emsyst-6
Emsyst-6 is specialized in development, manufacturing and mounting of test equipment for power, water and heat meters; power factor regulators; power correcting capacitor batteries. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certificated and has its own laboratory for verification of electrometers and watermeters and calibration of electrical energy and water flow measuring instruments.
EPIQ Electronic Assembly
EPIQ EA is a part of EPIQ Group, Belgium and is based in Botevgrad, Bulgaria. Its main activity is assembly and design of electronic modules for the automotive and consumer electronics and production of high temperature sensors for the automotive industry. EPIQ EA has ISO 16949:2009 and ISO 14001 certification. The company is EMS supplier for projects in the field of electronics, from the design to complete assembly of the product. The three plants of EPIQ in Botevgrad have a total production area of 26 000 sq m.
Festo Proizvodstvo
Festo Proizvodstvo is a subsidiary of FESTO AG, Germany. As a global production center, the plant is fully integrated into the manufacturing strategy of Festo. The main products of the company are sensors and accessories. The company has ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certification. Production is supported by New Products and Industrial Engineering departments. In close cooperation with German development department many new projects related to upgrading and completing the production program are realized.
Gineers
Gineers is specialized in instrumentation and automation electronics. The company is manufacturing weight measurement instruments, remote reading devices, instruments for electrical measurement in the industry - voltmeters, kilo voltmeters, ammeters, power meters, frequency meters, PF meters and step indicators. All devices are microcontroller based and fully programmable. Gineers is designing and producing different control, automation and dosage systems and converters for industrial applications.
Hybrid Integrated Circuits (HIC)
HIC and its predecessor company have more than 30 years of experience in the field of thick and thin-film technologies, and SMD assembly. The company manufactures custom hybrid ICs, resistor networks, high-voltage resistors, PCB assemblies. Also, it supplies a variety of SMT components as well as connectors, displays and other through-hole components; standard passive and active components; HIC is ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certificated. The production is export orientated to Western Europe.
Industrial Software
Industrial Software is a material handling automation dedicated OEM. Main designed and manufactured products are PLCs, I/O modules, actuators and sensors in LonWorks based industrial applications; industrial communications, automation and education systems software. The company has ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Inmak-2000
Inmak-2000 Ltd is a manufacturer of antennas and accessories for mobile communications. The ISO 9001:2008 certificated company offers solutions for terrestrial mobile, cellular and other communication systems and networks. Its main customers are distributors of high-end two-way radios, internet providers and similar companies, installing computer networks.
IT Industrial Technologies
The company IT Industrial Technologies was established in 2005 by electronic engineers with great experience in the development and production of industrial and non-standard electronic devices. It’s working as a contract electronic manufacturer. Its main clients are companies from Austria, Germany and Bulgaria. Depending of customer’s needs IT Industrial Technologies is able to offer both leaded or lead-free soldering.
IVAS Tech
IVAS Tech is a Bulgarian manufacturer of equipment for surface mounting of printed circuit boards. The company offers pick & place machines, hot-bar soldering machines for Luxeon HB LEDs, manual stencil printers, vision inspection systems, SMD socket and flat ribbon cable soldering machines, heat sealing equipment, etc. The company has ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Kvarta
Kvarta manufactures audio-video monitoring systems, CATV products, products for monitoring of FM transmitters and CATV networks, radio relay systems, dynamic UECP RDS encoders, converters, power supply for LAN, chess clocks, FM monitoring.
LumyComp Design
LumyComp Design. is designing, prototyping and producing electronics for LED technologies for several European and world companies - LED emitters, lamps, street lights, underwater lamps, dimmable LED light bulbs, LED lamps for renewable energy applications, LED drivers, DMX RGB controls, etc.
Micron-20
Micron-20 Ltd. produces single-, double and multi-layer PCBs. The number of its clients totals over 1000 Bulgarian and foreign companies. Micron-20 Ltd. is also specialized in manufacturing prototypes and small series for short periods of time. In order to achieve highest levels of its customer’s satisfaction the company has developed and installed lead-free technologies, automatic SMD assembling of prototypes and small series, stencils manufacturing, high-frequency materials treatment technology.
Phonotronica
Phonotronica was established in 1990 with main activity development, production and marketing of electronic devices. Its main partners are the Bulgarian Telecommunication Company, municipal administrations and power supply companies. The company has ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Piezoquartz
The company is a manufacturer of quartz products - plates, resonators, filters and transducers. Its products are known in many countries in Europe, America and Asia. The company manufactures quartz resonators in the frequency range 100 kHz to 150 MHz low frequency resonators - 0.100 MHz - 1.8 MHz Piezoquartz offers manufacturing services as water-jet cutting, cutting, grinding and polishing of metals, ceramics and glass.
Prima-Tech-Pro
Prima-Tech-Pro is an EMS provider, specialized in printed circuit board assembly (including SMD); assembly and test of complete electronic devices including delivery if needed of blank PCBs, sheet metal work, transformers, components, cables, packages, etc. Prima-Tech-Pro is ISO 9001:2000 certificated.
Rocon Research Centre
Scope of activity of Rocon Research Centre is research, design, manufacturing, engineering, service of digital protection, automation, control and SCADA equipment for electric power systems and industry; digital test and measuring equipment for electrical supply utilities; heat meters and regulators for district heating; substations assembly, etc. The company is ISO 9001:2000 certificated
ROHE Automation
ROHE Automation LTD is specialized in the sphere of industrial automation, solving technical and technological problems, service and support of unconventional equipment, software development. Its two main divisions are garage equipment and petrol stations equipment. Equipment made by ROHE Automation works on many petrol stations in Bulgaria and Europe.
ROMMTECH-3S
ROMMTECH-3S Ltd is a Dutch-Bulgarian joint venture. Production activity includes electronic (SMD and TH) and electromechanical products, plastic details, metal boxes and cable looms. Company occupies a building estate with 1900 square meters production premises and offices.
Samel-90
Samel 90 is specialized in R&D, production and trading of special purpose products - VHF radios; radio jammers; surveillance and perimeter guarding systems; field telephone sets; integrated digital field communication systems; mobile, man pack and portable jammers against RCIED; information protection equipment; radars etc. The company is also manufacturing energy saving lighting and fixtures with HB LEDs for indoor and outdoor lighting. Samel 90 is ISO 9001:2008, ISO 17025:2006, EN60598-1 and AQAP 2110 certified.
Saturn Engineering
Saturn Engineering is an electronic manufacturing service provider focused on delivering complete and customized solutions for OEM customers. The company is ISO 9001:2000 certificated and provides engineering design, product development and contract manufacturing in a broad range of fields including industrial, medical and consumer.
Scorpio-LK
Scorpio-LK is a Bulgarian manufacturer of automotive programmers, dashboard recalibration and car radio decoding tools and solutions. One of its major products is a transponder programmer, developed to cover, read, write and generate the latest transponders used in the latest vehicle immobilizer technologies.
Sectron Alectronics
Sectron specializes in the design and distribution of security systems: CCTV, intruder alarm, access control, fire-alarm, fire-suppression, hotel security, police equipment, perimeter protection etc. Currently Sectron through its daughter company Sectron Electronics produces an acoustic safe detector, alarm and GSM transmitters, ultrasonic and microwave motion detector, acoustic perimeter defense system. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certificated.
SET
SET is specialized in the production of single-, double- and multi-layer PCBs of different shape and size in compliance with customer’s specifications and requirements. SET is ISO 9001:2008 and UL certificated. The annual production capacity of the company is 92 000 sq. m to nearly 500 customers in Bulgaria and all over Europe.
SG Lab
SG Lab is developing and manufacturing RF and microwave devices, components and subsystems for wired and wireless communication. Its product range includes CATV amplifiers; CATV modulators; mixers , active and passive frequency multipliers; synthesized up/down converters; LNA systems; spectrum analyzers, etc.
Sintis
Main activity of Sintis is production, research and design of military and industrial electronics, systems and devices for radio controlled counteraction and protection of information. Some important products are radio jamming transmitters for one-time use with artillery carriers, wide-band and target radio jamming devices etc. Sintis has ISO 9001:2008 and NCAGE-code 00XPU NATO certificates
Steca Elektronik Bulgaria
Steca Elektronik Bulgaria is a producer of devices for the solar electronics - on and off grid inverters for PV stations, charge controllers for stand-alone and hybrid PV systems, solar thermal controllers and stations, battery charging systems for mobile, home and industrial use, cable assemblies etc. Steca Elektronik Bulgaria is ISO 9001 certified and produces electronic modules for other companies as an EMS too.
Stratus Light
Stratus Light is an OEM offering a full range of products for LED systems and ready illuminating fixtures for exterior illumination, street illumination, etc. The company is also producing controllers for intelligent light management; DMX and ArtNET interface modules etc. Recently, the company completed the largest LED chandelier in Europe with a height of 10 meters and a total area of 170 sq m.
STS Electronics
STS Electronics is a high-tech manufacturer of automation equipment: inductive, capacitive, optical, magnetic and ultrasonic sensors; electronic timers; programmable counters; conduct metric level-regulators, auxiliary electronic devices. Its products are distributed in many countries around the world. STS Electronics has ISO 9001:2000, EN60947-5-2 and EN60079 certification
TAURUS – 93
The company provides design and manufacturing of front panels and keypads for industrial controllers and instruments, medical devices, NC machines, gaming machines, automotive, security and other equipment. TAURUS-93 has ISO 9001:2008 certification
Teletek Electronics
Teletek Electronics is a leading Bulgarian OEM of intrusion and fire prevention products. Among the main products of the company are control panels, PIR detectors, communication modules, fire detectors, radio communication modules. Teletek Electronics has ISO, EN54-CPD, EMS test and other certificates. The company is offering contract manufacturing and R&D services too.
Teracom
Teracom is specialized in the area of telecommunication electronics. Its activities include design, production and engineering of analogue and digital electronic equipment. The company also provides assembly of SMD and conventional electronic components on PCB (single and double layer assembly of SMD components; manual assembly of elements).
Tinel Electronics
Main activity of Tinel Electronics is development and production of step motion control systems, stepper motor drives, traffic radars; traffic radar/video control systems; high temperature controllers, etc. The company has Bulgarian Metrology Institute certificates for radar systems.
Tremol SMD
Tremol SMD is a contract manufacturing company, part of Tremol Group Bulgaria, building electronic modules for Tremol Ltd. products – mainly fiscal devices like cash registers, fiscal printers, POS systems etc. The company’s products are distributed in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Greece and Kenya. Tremol SMD has ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Vector-1
Vector-1 is a OEM of industrial control and measurement equipment. The company is manufacturing temperature sensors, two-wire transmitters, air and gas humidity sensors, digital controllers, digital process indicators, level sensors and controllers, programmable counters/ timers, speed relays, etc.
Vi&Rus International
Vi&Rus International is an EMS provider established on the basis of existing since 1992 Biopriborostroene PLC, specialized in developing and manufacturing of PCBs, stencils, parts and modules for the electronics. The company also offers a semiautomatic assembly service for prototype and small quantity product runs and has ISO 9001:2008 certification.
VTech
VTech is an R&D laboratory and OEM manufacturer of high-tech electronic equipment for the oilfield industry - motor controllers, control devices, generator systems, single or multiple variable speed drive control centers, OEM electronic control products, ground fault and reverse rotation sensor and relay, power conditioning equipment etc. VTech is providing EMS too.
ZMD Eastern Europe
ZMD Eastern Europe is a R&D center specialized in development of integrated circuits, ASICs and application kits for automotive industry, consumer electronics, lighting industry, etc. Company also maintains strong market positions in industrial electronic components and solutions for the medical industry.
LATEST issue 1/2025
