Austrians Open Factory in Croatia – 450 New Jobs

Leading Austrian leather company Wollsdorf Leder say there were a number of factors behind the decision to build a factory in the small northern Croatian town of Jalžabet…

Wollsdorf Leder’s General Manager Andreas Kindermann was in town on Wednesday, and visited the site of the new factory with Croatia’s Minister of Economy Ivan Vrdoljak.

“We didn’t decide to build a factory in Croatia just because of the good weather, but because this location in Jalžabet is located just 250 kilometres from our headquarters in Austria, and is in between our base and our important clients in Romania. Also, it is thanks to the excellent cooperation with representatives of central and local government that will lead to us starting work in September, as we only applied for a building permit in December,” said Kindermann.

Wollsdorf Leder, who have been supplying leather for the automobile, furniture, aviation and boat-building industries since 1932, will employ 250 people in the new 10,000 square-metre Croatian factory when it is complete in before Christmas this year.

“This investment hows that you can successfully invest in Croatia and be competitive. This investment will open new jobs which we need to protect and increase,” said Vrdoljak.