16 September, 2011
Bekaert celebrated the opening of its plant extension in Lipetsk, Russia. The inauguration event took place in the presence of Mr Bozhko, the 1st Vice Governor of the Lipetsk region, the Chairman – Baron Buysse – and the members of the Board of Directors of Bekaert, the responsible authorities of the Lipetsk Parliament and Special Economic Zone, and key customers and other business partners.
Bekaert has been present with steel cord manufacturing operations in Russia since the beginning of 2010 and has built a growing customer base in the region. In view of expected efficiency and flexibility gains, Bekaert decided to extend its production platform in Lipetsk with a half products manufacturing unit. The investment encompassed the construction of a new building covering 13,000 sqm, the installation of infrastructure and state-of-the-art machinery, and the hiring and training of extra personnel. The plant currently employs close to 200 employees and plans additional recruitments in line with the growth.
Bekaert also investigates future investment opportunities in view of further strengthening its position in various markets in the region.