Swiss leading manufacturer of high-performance vacuum valves VAT opened this week a new factory in Arad, after investing approximately 30 million euros in the production halls alone.

Arad County Council communication director Andrei Ando, who participated in the inauguration of the facility, declared for AGERPRES that the factory offers 380 jobs and is the third largest by the floor area in Arad County.

The facility spans 21,000 sqm, of which the production halls cover 18,000 sqm, and the rest are modern office spaces and social facilities.

‘The investment amounts to approximately 30 million euros in the built spaces alone, to which add industrial robots and state-of-the-art production equipment. The factory has 380 employees and will produce, among others, parts for microchips used in the electronics and solar power industries, as well as high-precision valves,’ Ando said.

The factory is located in the VGP Logistic Park, next to the Arad – Fantanele road belt.

Arad County Council president Iustin Cionca sent a message after the opening of the site, showing that the new factory means development for the county.

‘I thank VAT for trusting our county, for investing and implementing modern technology here. This investment shows that Arad remains attractive to investors and is still growing,’ Cionca said in a press release.

He also emphasized the need to prepare ‘a solid reserve of highly-skilled labor, especially in the context of new industrial investments.’

He referred to the Swiss model of professional training, which has two-thirds of the students choosing technical specializations or trades, which gives Swiss SMEs – which account for 98% of the total – a competitive edge. Cionca advised that this is a model to follow in Romania too. ‘The Swiss state has allocated 220 million euros for projects in Romania, including for the development of dual vocational education. The Romanian industry needs qualified, active young people,’ the president of the Arad County Council concluded.