The first announcement of the entry of German company Marquardt GmbH in Macedonia dates back to 2013. The official decision to grant this company state aid also dates back from the same period.
The aid granted includes: assistance for creating an unknown number of jobs, exemption from personal income tax on salaries of employees, exemption from corporate income tax, assistance in covering the costs of securing the construction land and infrastructure connections for utilities such as electricity, assistance for covering water and communal taxes and other fees of the municipality (unknown amounts), and assistance in covering the costs for the training of employees.
The construction of the Marquardt Macedonia factory, which was to produce automotive parts in the industrial zone Karaslari, Veles, strted in April 2014, while the official opening took place in October 2015.
According to estimates, the investment is worth 25 million euros and there has been an announcement that it may reach 35 million euros. The number of jobs created by the factory meanwhile, was estimated at 600.
"The factory, which extends on over 15,000 square meters, has already employed 170 of the planned 600 employees," said officials at the opening of the factory in October 2015.
Data from the Central Register show that by the end of 2015, the number of employees in Marquardt Macedonia was 104, while in 2016 it increased to 309.
Former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, at the opening of the factory, conveyed the message to German investors that the support they received from the Government will continue. “The Government is here to help, not only during the process of decision-making process of whether to come to Macedonia, or during the construction of the factory, but further on as well," said Gruevski, adding that this type of support is the focus of the Government and this is how they operate.
"The factory in Macedonia is our tenth factory and it will play a significant role in the Group. The investment we are realizing is worth over 35 million euros," stated owner Harald Marquardt, who is also the manager of the Macedonia company during the factory opening.
This investment was recorded in the Registry of direct investments in September 2013 and the founding capital of Marquardt Macedonia was 10 million euros. The total assets of the company, however, by the end of 2015 reached 29.3 million euros.
The company's revenues in the first year from the start of production amounted to 5 million euros, but the factory had higher expenses than incomes, so their balance sheet for 2015 shows a loss of 2.1 million euros.
Marquardt manufactures automotive systems for known brands such as the Jaguar Land Rover, Renault, Fiat, BMW, Scania, Chrysler and others. They operate in nine countries, have over 8,800 employees and have been on the market for 90 years.