Daimler seems to have selected Poland as the host of their future 800 million EUR factory. Among the losers would be the Romanian cities of Brasov, Timisoara and Cluj, which had made it to the short list of potential sites. Although Daimler representatives said the final decision would be made in July, it appears that the case is closed as Polish media announced the town of Ujazd, on the border between Poland and Germany as the winning site. The new factory will hire some 3,000 employees and start production in two years.
In Brasov County, Daimler looked at two potential sites: one near the town of Codlea and one in the village of Lunca Calnicului. Called in this respect, the two mayors said they had not been contacted by anyone from Mercedes. However, they confirmed that both land and workforce were available for such factory. Nevertheless, before a final decision is made, everything is treated as a rumor in order not to compromise negotiations.
In end-January, Daimler announced they were planning to open a Mercedes factory, either in Romania or in Poland. Romania already hosts two leading carmakers, namely Renault at Automobile Dacia and Ford at Automobile Craiova. Moreover, several leading German investors have already established a presence in Romania - Ina Schaeffer, Continental AG, Siemens Automotive, Kromberg & Schubert, Lisa Draxlmaier and Leoni Wiring Systems. Daimler, too, is part of a joint venture in Romania, Star Transmission - Cugir, producing gear boxes.