• The event took place during the national meeting of automotive companies organized by ACB
• Rosen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012-2017) and representatives of the executive participated in the conference
• The Memorandum of Cooperation is dedicated to the launch of an Intermodal terminal in Vidin

On October 10, 2017, a national meeting of the automotive companies on the topic “Trends and Future of the Automotive branch” was organized by Automotive Cluster Bulgaria with the kind support of LKW WALTER Internationale Transportorganisation AG. The event was held under the patronage of Rosen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012-2017). Between Automotive Cluster Bulgaria and LKW WALTER was signed a memorandum of cooperation, according to which the Austrian company will introduce its know-how and technical expertise to the Intermodal terminal in Vidin.

President Plevneliev opened the forum and highlighted the upward development of the automotive industry in the country in the five years since the establishment of Automotive Cluster Bulgaria. “Many Bulgarian regions get hope for a better quality of life thanks to Cluster’s efforts. I stand before you as a president and as a person to assure you that every Cluster initiative will receive broad support and together we have all the prerequisites to succeed. The speed of the Cluster must be maintained and multiplied on the path to achieving the goal of attracting an investor with a manufacturing plant for complete car production. ”

The positive aspects and prospects for automotive production in the country were highlighted by Deputy Economy Minister Lachezar Borisov. “It is a priority for us to promote innovation that is closely related to the automotive industry.” Deputy Minister Borisov expressed his gratitude to the Cluster for its links with educational institutions as well as for its contribution for the development of dual learning.

Arch. Lubomir Stanislavov, Executive Director of Automotive Cluster Bulgaria, presented for the first time the Auto Park Bulgaria project in Vidin. His presentation was dedicated to the automotive industry in the country and the opportunity to build a new car factory in the Danube city, the first step of which is the start of an intermodal terminal near the Danube bridge 2. Arch. Stanislavov pointed the increase in the share of the automotive industry in GDP: growth from 1% in 2012 (when Automotive Cluster Bulgaria was created) to over 4% today.

The presentation of Stamen Yanev, Executive Director of the InvestBulgaria Agency, revealed that three more foreign investors in the automotive industry will be announced in the coming months. “The moment when a car factory is going to work in the country is getting closer,” Yanev says.

The presentation of LKW WALTER was welcomed with great interest. It revealed curious details of the company experience in creating intermodal terminals in Western, Central and more often in Eastern Europe. The director of LKW WALTER wished the attendees during the next meeting in 2018 the intermodal terminal on the territory of Vidin to be operating.