The Kyoto-based motor manufacturer Nidec established its first European production hub, based in Novi Sad, Serbia

Japanese electric motor manufacturer Nidec Corporation opened a factory for automotive inverters and electronic control units in Serbia's northern city of Novi Sad. The opening ceremony of Nidec Electric Motor Serbia and Nidec Elesys Europe production plants was attended by the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, Executive Vice President Mitsuya Kishida, Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Japan Tetsuya Tsubota, President of Nidec Elesys Takashi Furuhashi as well as Minister of Finance Siniša Mali, Minister of Defense Miloš Vučević, Minister of Economy Rade Basta, Minister of science, technological development and innovation Jelena Begović, President of the Provincial Government Igor Mirović, President of the Assembly of Vojvodina Ištvan Pastor, Mayor of Novi Sad Milan Đurić and representatives of the Development Agency of Serbia.

Japanese motor maker Nidec investing €92.9 million in the construction of a plant in Serbia that would produce electric axles, the powertrains of electrical vehicles. The production area which will have a total of 60,000 m² will be the largest center of the Japanese company in Europe, where up to 300,000 units will be produced annually.

The factory will serve as a central base for the company's production activities in Europe.

By investing in Serbia, the company took the first step in establishing the Nidec industrial park in Europe, as a part of its strategy to become the world's largest manufacturer of engines for electric vehicles. Nidec supplies e-axles to automakers including China's GAC Motor and France's Peugeot. The Japanese manufacturer's motors are found in 85% of the world's hard drives, while it supplies half of the world's brushless motor market.

In the first phase of the project, the company intends to employ around 120 people and expects the number to reach 1,000 in the future. It also completed the execution of a strategic alliance agreement with the University of Novi Sad, to actively engage in a range of activities including technological exchanges via industry-academia partnerships.

Nidec was founded in 1973 in Kyoto, Japan, and today is the world leader in the production of all types of electric motors. It operates in 46 countries, with 347 companies in the group, and employs more than 106,000 people worldwide. Across Europe operates through 56 companies in Hungary, Poland, Italy, France... This year Nidec Corporation celebrates 50 years of business.

Photo: TANJUG/ Nenad Mihajlović