US company Sensata, a leading supplier of sensors and controls, is building its second manufacturing plant in Bulgaria.
The Mayor of Maritsa Municipality Dimitar Ivanov explained that the first stage of the plant will become operational in June and will employ 1,500 people.
The number of employees is foreseen to rise to 3,200 in case the company implemented its plan in full.
The company has already started recruiting employees for its second plant, which will be based in the city of Plovdiv.
The plant will produce sensors for the automobile industry and will be located in Plovdiv's industrial zone Maritsa, which is part of the Trakia (Thrace) Economic Zone.
Sensata has been present in Bulgaria since 2002, when it opened its first manufacturing plant in the town of Botevgrad, which currently employs 1300 people.
If it fulfills its plan, Sensata will have 4500 employees in total, which will make it Bulgaria's second largest industrial employer after arms manufacturer Arsenal Kazanlak.
Expectations are that the market of temperature sensors will continue to grow due to the stricter ecological requirements towards car manufacturers.
Exactly this trend necessitates the extension of its production in Bulgaria.
Sensata also has factories in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the US, China, South Korea and Malaysia, while the branch in Botevgrad is the only European plant.
The new factory in Plovdiv will be the company's second largest plant.