Visteon’s new site, representing an investment of up to 40 million euros, will support the vehicle manufacturers’ strategy to assemble future vehicles in Slovakia.

The facility will manufacture automotive interiors and climate control systems. Production is scheduled to begin later this year, and the site is expected to eventually employ about 400 workers.

“Recent new business wins gave us the opportunity to review our European manufacturing base and evaluate how to best serve future business with car makers located in Central Eastern Europe,” said Karl Krause, vice president of manufacturing, Europe and South America, for Visteon. “The stable Slovakian business environment, the proximity of customer manufacturing operations and the cooperation of the Slovakian government contributed to our decision to invest in Nitra.”

The Ministry of Economy of the Slovakian Republic and the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) welcomed Visteon’s decision to enter the Slovak market.

“SARIO is very happy that the interest of automotive suppliers to invest in Slovakia has been rapidly growing,” said Roman Kuruc, corporate executive officer of SARIO. “Visteon’s expansion into Slovakia will help accelerate the growth of our automotive industry.”

The city of Nitra is situated about 50 miles northeast of the Slovakian capital of Bratislava. Slovakia became a member-state of the European Union in May in 2004.