MADE IN CROATIA: €12 Million Investment to Open 200 Jobs in Croatia’s North

German shoe-maker HAIX is set to invest a further 12 million euros in its Croatia factory, opening up a number of new jobs in the process…

The Bavarian company, which specialises in workwear, forestry, leisure and sport shoes and safety shoes, already pumped in 8 million euros in their Mala Subotica factory in north-east Croatia back in 2009, and are set to invest another 12 million, bringing the total to 20 million euros. The Mala Subotica factory, which is one the world’s most modern shoe production facilities in Croatia, already employes around 600 people, and it looks set to rise.

Half of the 12 million euro new investment will go towards expanding the current factory from its current 6,000 square metres to 12,000 square metres, whilst the remaining 6 million euros will be spent on new equipment, writes daily Jutarnji list.

“I feel very good in Croatia, and I will invest 20 million euros here,” said HAIX CEO Ewald Haimerl.

When the new facility is running at its new capacity in January 2015, it will increase production from 3,500 to 6,000 pairs of shoes daily. The shoes with the ‘Made in Croatia’ label are distributed all around the world, and are worn by firemen in Hong Kong, Germany, France and by the British army. Around 200 new jobs are expected to be created thanks to the new investment.