The Italian company Aunde, which has been operating in Serbia since 2012, marked the beginning of production at the former Turkish factory Jeanci

Leskovac, October 24, 2023 - Representatives of the Italian company Aunde marked the beginning of operations at their second factory in Serbia. The Aunde factory in Leskovac, which specializes in in the production of textile for the automotive industry, will produce seat systems for the Italian car manufacturer Fiat, specifically the Fiat Panda and Fiat 600 models.

The grand opening was attended by the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the Minister of Economy, Slobodan Cvetković, the Mayor of the City of Leskovac, Goran Cvetanović, His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in the Republic of Serbia, Luca Gori, as well as representatives of the Development Agency of Serbia.

Following a meeting with Aunde company representatives and a walkthrough of the factory grounds, present were addressed by the Managing Director of the Italian company Aunde and the President of the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Anino de Venezia.

“This is our second home in Serbia. In a short time, just three months since we entered these empty halls, we have full production. None of this would have been possible without the great support of the Mayor of Leskovac and the entire public administration," emphasized De Venice.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in the Republic of Serbia, Luka Gori, highlighted that Italian companies are ready to come and invest in Serbia. The Ambassador also announced the Italian-Serbian Innovation Forum for December, with the aim of expanding cooperation in the field of innovation and green transition.

Expressing his gratitude, President Aleksandar Vučić of the Republic of Serbia thanked the Aunde company owners for providing employment to the workers from the Turkish Jeans factory.At the same time, recommended the city of Vranje, which, due to its tradition, represents an ideal investment location for the future.

Aunde has been present in Serbia since 2012, and production began in 2014 with the opening of the factory for producing seat covers for Mercedes, Fiat, Iveco, and other well-known car manufacturers from Germany, France, and Italy. Across three facilities, Aunde has invested over 9.3 million euros.

In the Leskovac facility, which covers an area of 13,000 square meters, the company will invest over 3 million euros. Aunde in Leskovac employs 304 workers, with the total planned number of employees of 560.

The Italian company Aunde is a part of the Aunde Group, founded in 1899, and is one of the leading global companies with over 100 facilities worldwide. Aunde Group, through its brands, operates in 118 factories across 28 countries.

The Group serves clients such as Iveco, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Volkswagen, Ford, BMW, Citroen, Peugeot, Mercedes, Ferrari, and is a leader in the production of seat covers, interiors, and complete seat systems for leading global car manufacturers.

Aunde Group is a supplier for all types of motor vehicles, from city cars to heavy trucks to luxury brands. According to the company's website data for the year 2019, they achieved a turnover of 3.1 billion euros.

The extensive collaborations that this company engages in with well-known automobile manufacturers led to the demand for expanding production capacities in Serbia, thus prompting the establishment of a facility in Leskovac after Jagodina.

FOTO TANJUG/ VLADIMIR ŠPORČIĆ