Germany's Kromberg & Schubert expands production of automotive wiring systems in North Macedonia, creating 2.000 new jobs

German automotive wiring systems manufacturer Kromberg & Schubert is preparing a new expansion of its plant in Bitola, North Macedonia, which is expected to create 2,000 jobs over the next four years. The investment project is related to the production of wiring systems for a new Audi model, with the planned production volume exceeding 3,000 wiring harnesses per day. The agreement for the expansion was signed with the country’s government, BalkanEngineer.com learned from a company press release.

The new production facility will be located in the “Zhabeni” industrial zone near Bitola, where Kromberg & Schubert has been operating since 2013. The company has already implemented three investment projects at this site, and the current expansion will increase its capacity to fulfill orders from the automotive industry. The wiring harnesses to be produced for Audi combine the electrical wires and connectors needed to link the various electrical and electronic systems in the vehicle.

Along with increasing production volumes, the German company plans to introduce new technologies and expand the digitization of its manufacturing processes. According to Georgi Trenkovski, the local company’s commercial director, some of these developments are already being implemented at the plant, including artificial intelligence systems and automated cameras. These are used to improve certain operations involving the inspection and counting of components in cable harnesses, which until now have been performed manually or with separate machines.

The expansion also calls for greater involvement of local engineers in the development and management of production projects. Kromberg & Schubert intends to gradually transfer part of its project management activities to its team in Bitola, with management positions increasingly filled by specialists from North Macedonia. When recruiting new employees, the company will initially focus on the local labor market, while also considering the recruitment of personnel from abroad if necessary.

Currently, approximately 5,300 people work at the Bitola facility, while Kromberg & Schubert’s production site in Skopje provides employment for over 1,700 additional specialists. With the implementation of the new project, the company’s total number of employees in North Macedonia could reach nearly 10,000. According to data presented at the announcement of the investment, the German manufacturer expects exports from its facilities in the country to exceed 400 million euros in 2027.

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