site.btaSwiss Company Opens New Plant with 100 Jobs in Montana

Swiss Company Opens New Plant with 100 Jobs in Montana

Montana, Northwest Bulgaria, March 18 (BTA) - The Swiss Palemontech company opened here on Saturday a plant with 100 new jobs. Northwest Bulgaria is the EU's poorest region.

The plant, located near the city's tech park, will manufacture metal pallet boxes and grid boxes for export to Switzerland. The opening ceremony was attended by Swiss Ambassador to Bulgaria Denis Knobel, Deputy Economy Minister Lyubomir Ganchev, Montana Regional Governor Ivan Sergisov, the city Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov, as well as Bulgarian and Swiss business people.

The plant's owner, Andre Urech, said that the facility is equipped with the newest machines, while some six million leva were invested in its construction. The plant's floor area is 5,600 sq m, while the site spans over 2.5 ha of land, which the investor has purchased from the municipality last year. "I am happy that we the people from this region a sign that there is a future here and they do not have to leave," Urech said.

Deputy Minister Ganchev said that each investment in Northwest Bulgaria gives the region and the Government a reason to celebrate. He noted that his Ministry has certified 24 investment projects in 2016 worth a total of 380 million leva, while their deadline is three years. Some six projects worth 143 million leva have been certified since the start of this year, he went on to say.

Ambassador Knobel said that he is proud of this fully Swiss investment in Northwest Bulgaria, which he described as very beneficial for bilateral relations, as well as giving other investors a sign to create jobs in the region.

Montana Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov thanked the investor for each of the 100 jobs created in Montana. He recalled that other companies are also working in the city's tech park, voicing hope that this will retain young people in the city.