he potential business cooperation between MIND Group and Stadler, a Swiss manufacturer of trains, was the reason for the company representatives’ visit to Kragujevac after the promotional ride of the new Stadler high speed train on the Belgrade – Petrovaradin line. Until the Sobovica – Lužnice – Batočina railway is built, Peter Spuller – the owner of one of the world’s train industry leaders and Gerhard Schröder, the company’s advisor and former chancellor of Germany, flew to Donja Trnava by helicopter, where they were met by the Mayor Nikola Dašić and Bratislav Milanović, the director and founder of the MIND Group.
This is an important opportunity for Kragujevac. Although the MIND Group has been cooperating with the Swiss company for a long time, Stadler is showing a growing interest in Kragujevac – the Mayor Dašić said as he emphasized that this visit affirms Kragujevac as a consequential investment destination. Investors from all over the world are currently interested in Kragujevac.
On the other hand, Gerhard Schröder’s visit is important because it sends a message to Europe and the world that serious politicians from Germany also recognize Kragujevac as an investment destination. Republic of Serbia and Kragujevac are perceived as a place where investors from Germany plan to continue investing. They recognize us as a reliable partner which inspires us to be fully aware of the stability of German economy and of the German way of doing business.
In order to establish the best possible conditions for investors, the Mayor Dašić reminded of one of the most important projects – the Sobovica-Lužnice-Batočina railway. In addition to the fact that it is going to be used by employees to commute, the railway is going to be of great importance for the subcontractors of Siemens, Skoda, Stadler and all the others who intend to develop the rail industry. We are preparing for the process of expropriation, and I hope the railway will be finished within the next two years.
Both Gerhard Schröder and Peter Spuller recognized what has been done within the MIND Group. I feel great respect for what has been done here. It is something of international significance – the advisor Schröder said, emphasizing that they would like to have such a modern industrial complex in Germany as well. Addressing the media, he said that the Western Balkans had become a place of stability during the mandate of the President Aleksandar Vučić and that a significant progress in economic development and investments was noticeable. Serbia is on the right track. – Schröder said.
In MIND Park, there are excellent opportunities for the production of trains and train components, Peter Spuller said and added that he was very satisfied with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Milanović family as well as with their international reputation as rail vehicle components manufacturers. He is looking forward to the potential cooperation and points out that it has been agreed to assemble a team which will work on the project development.
The visit of Stadler representatives shows us that we are on the right path. The modern industrial park in the heart of Šumadija is primarily focused on the rail vehicle industry, but also on the development of new technologies and the IT industry. According to Darko Đorić, the executive director of the MIND Group, in the last three years, 60,000 square meters of industrial and business premises, the most modern kindergarten, a restaurant and canteen for our employees have been built. This completes the first phase. As soon as time allows, we will start the second phase in which the construction of a modern logistics center is planned in cooperation with the Nelt Group, where the construction of an airport is planned, as well as the construction of new industrial and business capacities.
Today’s visit was an opportunity to meet with the owners and get acquainted with the strategies of both companies, and I am sure that we will continue our cooperation in the future – said Đorić. AMM Manufacturing, the first company which operates within the MIND Group, already supplies the world’s leading manufacturers. Through our cooperation with Hitachi ABB, we indirectly produced parts for Stadler.
I am sure that Stadler will find a reliable partner here, and maybe even start production in the MIND Park.
We signed a contract with Škoda Electric which is also coming to Kragujevac. It will produce traction motors which will be installed in the drives of rail vehicles.
At the moment, over 2,000 people work in MIND Park. The plan is for that number to reach 2,500 employees by the end of the year.