Bulgaria Pursues More Auto Industry Investments

Bulgaria, where China's Great Wall Automobile Holding Co. opened a truck plant in Lovech last year, is looking for additional such investments, Automotive News Europe reports.

EY (formerly Ernst & Young) tells the online newspaper that auto suppliers such as Grammer, Johnson Controls and Wurth Electronik have been attracted by Bulgaria's skilled workforce, low taxes and stable economy. But EY adds that the country has lagged others in eastern Europe because of its bureaucracy and lax law enforcement.

Great Wall's plant, which was launched with Bulgarian partner Litex Motors, assembles the Steed 5 small pickup truck from kits supplied from China. Great Wall has said it plans to add the company's Voleex C10 supermini and Hover SUV at the factory, which has annual capacity to assemble 50,000 vehicles.