Craiova is the capital of the Sud-Vest Oltenia region — historically a coal-energy centre of Romania, today **a Ford-powered automotive industry** plus residual heavy industries in a transformation phase. For an integrator Craiova is a market where global American automotive capital (Ford) meets local post-socialist industry in gradual reconversion. From Prešov realistically **by air via Bucharest** (KSC → OTP → by car 3 h on the A1 motorway to Craiova) or via **CRA Craiova airport** if there's a slot.
Ford Romania Craiova — European export hub for Puma
**Ford Romania Craiova** is currently **Ford's largest investment project in Europe** — since 2019 the **Ford Puma** has been produced here (compact SUV) and since 2021 the **Ford Puma EcoBoost Hybrid**, which are top-selling Ford models in the EU. The plant produces about **250,000 vehicles** a year, of which more than 90% goes for **European export** — primarily UK, DE, FR, IT, ES. From 2024 the **Puma BEV** (full-electric variant) is also being prepared for a 2025 production launch, making Craiova one of the key EV production nodes of Ford Otosan + Ford of Europe.
For an integrator Ford Craiova means an environment with **full global Ford QMS** — **Q1 supplier audit**, **APQP/PPAP** process documents, integration into **Ford Supplier Portal** and the global Ford **WERS** (Worldwide Engineering Release System). For us Ford is a natural candidate via our **Industry + Automation + Electro** pillar. Our specialisation in Sondermaschinenbau, robotic integration (KUKA, ABB, FANUC, Yaskawa) and Anlagenbau (complete production lines via SolidWorks + EPLAN + Tecnomatix simulation) meets what the Ford supplier chain needs when launching a new model — including the upcoming Puma BEV.
Doosan IMGB — Magheru steel complex
**Doosan IMGB** (Industria Mecanică Grele București — historical name, today in the hands of Korean Doosan Group since 2006) is in Craiova specialised in **heavy steel products** — forged shafts for energy, rolls for rolling mills, large cast components for ship and energy industries. For an integrator Doosan means a heavy metallurgical environment — forging presses with sizes over 10 m, high-temperature furnaces (up to 1,200 °C around), crane technology in a hall with capacity over 200 t.
For us this is a specialised metallurgical domain — we're deliverable for **administrative IT and peripheral zones**; for core metallurgical work specialised metallurgical integrators with decades of experience in heavy metal manufacturing are primary.
Complexul Energetic Oltenia — coal energy in transformation
**Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CEO)** is the Romanian complex of **coal energy** in Oltenia — mines in Rovinari, Motru, Pinoasa plus thermal power plants Rovinari, Turceni, Ișalnița. Historically it accounted for about **30% of Romanian electricity production**, but from 2020 **gradual coal phase-out** has been underway under the Romanian **National Energy and Climate Plan** — shutting down blocks by 2030, capacity substitution by gas + renewables + nuclear **SMR** (small modular reactor — pilot project with NuScale in Doicești). This is currently a **transition segment** in the transformation — for an integrator it means a combination of classic coal infrastructure with new gas and renewable infrastructure.
For us CEO is interesting via **decommissioning and refit projects** — old coal blocks go into liquidation, new gas and solar capacities are being built often on the same plots with reuse of existing substations. This is a domain where our specialisation in **electrical equipment inspections**, **EPLAN documentation**, and **as-built reconstruction** has clear application — energy audits, certifications under STN EN equivalents, fibre backbone for new DCS systems in solar farms.
Pirelli Tyres Slatina — passenger tyres
**Pirelli Tyres Slatina** (60 km north-west of Craiova) is the Romanian plant of the global Pirelli Group — producer of **passenger tyres for the EU market**. For an integrator the tyre industry means **highly automated production lines** (rubber extrusion, calendering of textile layers, vulcanisation in presses), strict **traceability of material batches**, and integration into the global Pirelli MES. Our specialisation in injection moulding and serial engineering projects (Krauss-Maffei range) has application via the similarity of vulcanisation presses and injection-moulding presses.
Elpreco Craiova — building ceramics
**Elpreco Craiova** is a Romanian producer of **building ceramics** — porotherm blocks, klinker for façades, refractory products. For an integrator ceramics means **high-temperature sintering in tunnel kilns** (up to 1,200 °C), dust environments with ATEX zone 22 classification, and automated palletising with robotic handling.
Regulatory framework
For electrical installations **I7-2011** plus **NTE 007/08/00**. For building permits **Lege 50/1991**. For occupational safety **Codul Muncii (Legea 53/2003)** + **HG 1146/2006**. For Ford Craiova additionally **IATF 16949** + **Ford Q1**. For Doosan IMGB heavy metallurgy plus **PED 2014/68/EU** for pressure equipment in forges.
Our commuting relationship
Craiova lies in **south-west Oltenia** — from Bucharest 230 km via A1 motorway (about 2.5 h) or via CRA airport directly (Krakow → CRA if there's a slot). For Craiova we work in the regime: **Bucharest office** handles administrative communication (ITM Dolj, ANRE), **Slovak team** flies in for **multi-week on-site phases** with rotation. For Ford Craiova engagement we often combine with visiting **Slatina Pirelli** within one A1 cycle.
Cross-border regime
Standard regime for Romania — **ITM notification 30 days in advance** + **A1 from Slovak Social Insurance**. For Ford's American capital origin, clients appreciate an **English-Romanian-Slovak** language combination. For Doosan's Korean capital, English communication is standard.
Where it pays to come to us in Craiova
Ford Romania Craiova — primary candidate via Industry + Automation + Electro, with a reference package from DE/SK projects (including our Krauss-Maffei series projects). Pirelli Slatina — supplier orbit with application for injection-moulding references. Complexul Energetic Oltenia — decommissioning and renewable refit projects via Electro + inspections. Doosan IMGB — administrative IT and peripheral zones, not core metallurgy. Elpreco — palletising automation and ATEX zone 22 ceramic environments.
Conclusion
Craiova is for us a market with **dominant Ford engagement** plus residual heavy industry in transformation. Our profile fits the automotive supplier orbit around Ford Puma (and the upcoming Puma BEV), the decommissioning and renewable refit projects at Complexul Energetic Oltenia, and the peripheral zones of heavy industry. For American, Korean and Italian capital in the city we offer English-Slovak-Romanian language coverage.