Italy's Geox to kick off factory construction in Vranje in May

Vranje Mayor Zoran Antic told Tanjug news agency that Italy's Geox would begin the construction of a factory in that city in May, invest about EUR 15 million in it and hire 1,250 people over the next two years.

Geox, one of the largest footwear manufacturers in the world, should finish the construction of that production facility by the year's end, Antic announced and stressed that that Italian company would bring another three or four of its partners to Vranje, which should result in the creation of additional 500 to 600 jobs within the next three years.

Vranje has received RSD 100 million from the Serbian government to doll up the duty-free zone Bunusevac covering an area of about 110 hectares, where Geox should have its factory built, Antic said and added that Vranje should get another RSD 60 million from the government to build a bypass around the town connecting the free zone with Corridor X.

Local self-government will prepare the complete municipal infrastructure - plumbing, sewerage and energy network, Antic noted and stressed that there was already a 135kV substation next to the Free Zone and that it could easily meet an increased demand for electricity.

The furniture maker Ditre Italia is also building a factory in the Free Zone and should hire at least 600 people over the next year and a half, Antic announced.