China's tire factory begins mass production in Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addresses the official inauguration ceremony for serial production in China's first tire manufacturing facility in Europe, in Zrenjanin, Serbia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

ZRENJANIN, Serbia, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Mass production officially began at Linglong's new tire factory in Zrenjanin, Serbia on Friday, marking China's first tire manufacturing facility in Europe.

The 990-million-U.S.-dollar investment represents a significant milestone for both Linglong Tire and Serbia, positioning the factory as one of the most advanced tire production sites globally, according to a statement from Linglong Tire.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who attended the launch alongside Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming and Linglong Tire Co., Ltd. Chairman Wang Feng, underlined the economic importance of the project.

"This is the largest greenfield investment in Serbia's history," Vucic said. "It not only provides jobs for over 1,200 people now, but we expect that number to grow to 1,835 in the second phase of development."

Vucic highlighted the economic benefits the factory will bring to Zrenjanin and the surrounding region, with a projected boost to the city's budget, which will fund new infrastructure projects.

Vucic also emphasized the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative, saying, "China has been a tremendous partner for Serbia, and this factory is a testament to that."

According to Linglong, the state-of-the-art facility integrates advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, mobile sensing, and industrial robots, with an annual production capacity of 13.62 million high-performance radial tires.

Ambassador Li underscored the significance of the factory for both nations, and he also noted the growing number of Chinese companies investing in Serbia, attributing this to the favorable conditions that instil confidence in Chinese investors.

The factory's Phase II expansion is already underway and is expected to further increase production capacity and revenue in the coming years.

At the event, two memorandums of cooperation aimed at deepening Sino-Serbian cooperation across various sectors were signed, the first between Linglong and the City of Zrenjanin, and a second between universities in Novi Sad and Beijing.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (2nd R) visits the tire factory as he attends the inauguration ceremony for serial production in China's first tire manufacturing facility in Europe, in Zrenjanin, Serbia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addresses the official inauguration ceremony for serial production in China's first tire manufacturing facility in Europe, in Zrenjanin, Serbia, Sept. 13, 2024. China's tire factory begins mass production in Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)