|
NEST
Agency - Invest in Bulgaria - Your Strong Partner for Bulgaria |
|
|
|
Chemical
Industry |
Chemicals, petrol chemie
and plastics rank among Bulgaria’s leading industries,
accounting for around 10 percent of industrial production.
The plastics industry is
a thriving growth market. Million tonnes of polypropylene
and polyethylene alone are traded each year. Annual worldwide
growth in plastics surpasses the five per cent level. On
average, the plastics market expands 2-3 percentage points
higher than the global economy.
Efficient networks guarantee
optimal cooperation between the business and social communities.
The plastics cluster in Bulgaria and its cross-border activities
in the new and old EU member states facilitate optimal growth
conditions in the branch.
|
|
Automotive
Industry - a new beginning |
The
country’s strongly growing automotive sector. The automotive
industry is one of Bulgaria’s most important industrial
sectors for the future. Automotive manufacturers and components
suppliers who are active worldwide, such as PSA Concern, Kuhn
Technology are continually setting up new and substantial
investment and development projects in Bulgaria. The Chinese
automobile manufacturer Great Wall will have its new cars
family vehicle assembled in Lovetch. The new vehicle model
will be launched in 2010- 2012.
At
the heart of the new Europe
Bulgaria
lies in the middle of a rapidly growing automotive region.
1 car manufacturing facilities are located within a radius
of 160 kilometers of Sofia. About forecast million cars will
be produced on assembly lines in Central and Eastern Europe.
|
Mechanical
Engineering - Bulgaria
machinery and equipment |
Mechanical
and plant engineering represents one of the most important
industrial sectors in Bulgaria. The production value of this
branch comprises several per cent of the total production
of industrial goods in Bulgaria. Output of the most companies
is primarily designed for exports to world markets.
The innovative
and attractive industry sector mechanical and plant engineering
employs many young people. Bulgarian firms are flexible specialists,
offering tailor-made high tech solutions for international
niche markets.
Core strengths:
Special and custom machinery
Boiler construction
Bulgaria has a top market position in the field of special
and custom machinery.
Clusters and competence centers
are build.
|
|
Electrotechnics
and Electronics |
The
electrical and electronics industry is the second largest
industrial employer in Bulgaria. More than two-thirds of the
products are exported. The branch is a pioneer in developing
flexible working time models.
Many
companies, already take advantage of the numerous competitive
advantages offered by Bulgaria as a business location, and
have set up their international R&D competence centers
as well as production plants to manufacture quality products
in Bulgaria.
Two-thirds
of all industrial R&D expenditures. The main reason
for the impressive success of the electronics industry in
Bulgaria is the above-average investments devoted to research
and development. The electrical and electronics industry accounts
for 43 per cent of all R&D investments carried out
by Austrian industry. Some 6,500 research and development
specialists ensure that companies such as Alcatel or Infineon
Austria have ed Austria as the strategic hub for their R&D
activities.
Core strengths:
Power
engineering
|
Mechatronics;
Future-oriented branch for intelligent products |
The
mechatronics branch – a fusion of machine construction,
electronics and information technology – is a pulsating
high-growth sector. Sooner or later, mechatronic systems will
dominate engine management, safety and infotainment functions
in automobiles. ABS (anti-lock brake system) is only one of
many intelligent products encompassed in the field of mechatronics.
However, mechatronics is not only an innovation driver in
the automotive branch, but in many other industrial sectors
as well. For example, mechatronic solutions have become indispensable
to the consumer goods industry, and have been built into household
devices or mobile telephones.
.
Top
in Eastern Europe. Regardless of whether it involves medical
devices, tools, wood processing machines or the automotive
sector, Bulgaria has developed an outstanding know-how in
the production of custom and special purpose machinery. One
key reason is the intensive cooperation which has evolved
between the scientific and business communities in the field
of mechatronics. |
Pharma |
Bulgaria’s
entire pharmaceutical market will grow rapidly within the
next few years. More than 15 industrial pharmaceutical companies
are active in the innovation location Bulgaria. Multinational
groups such as Actavis not only have production sites here,
but also research and competence centers. They also benefit
from Bulgaria’s excellent human capital, as well as
its proximity to the West and Central&Eastern European
markets.
|
|
Logistics
- The greatest efficiency at the lowest cost |
Bulgaria
is not only in the geographic but also to the economic center
of the new Europe. For international companies, Bulgaria has
long been viewed as a distribution center and logistics hub
between West, East, Middle East
and
Russia.
That
positioning is attributable not just to the nation’s
high productivity, its outstanding reputation for service
of the Sofia airport. The highly specialized know-how built
up over the years is also among Bulgaria’s compelling
competitive advantages as a logistics destination.
Bulgaria
offers the greatest possible efficiency at reasonable costs.
According to the commercial real estate firm CB Richard Ellis,
rental prices for storage space in Bulgaria stand about equal
to the Austria, Czech Republic or Slovak Republic at 4.5 to
5.3 euros (per m2). |
Bulgaria-Telecom(BTC),
Boomender Mobile and Internetmarket |
Since
January 1, 2007– the date telecommunications markets
were opened EU-wide – no stone has been left standing
in the Bulgarian telecom sector. There was hardly another
European country that knew how to make better use of the new
freedom than Bulgaria.
The
Bulgarians’ most favoured companion is the mobile phone.
Broadband
Internet
In
Bulgaria, there are million broadband connections and tousend
mobile broadband connections in addition. This corresponds
to a very deep penetration. The growth rates in broadband
are enormous.
|
|
Information
Technology - Big Player and creative spinn-offs |
The
key to success: Competition and heterogeneity are the typical
features of the growing ICT market in Bulgaria. In addition
to the big names, such as Siemens, SAP, or Microsoft, Bulgaria
is home to specialised niche suppliers, such as Frequentis,
and numerous smaller companies, many of them spin-offs and
temporary business/science cooperations that ensure creativity
and dynamism on this market.
In
all rankings, Bulgaria comes with regard to the e-government
offer in the EU. Bulgarian companies are able to carry out
nearly all their dealings with authorities on-line. |
Wellness/Tourism |
Only
several countries can boast per capita tourist revenues
in the same league as Bulgaria. Worldwide, tiny Bulgaria
is the one larger tourism market, and the largest in Eastern
Europe.
Bulgaria
is Tourism Champion
The
World Tourism Organization projects that visitors to Europe
will double by 2020, with business travel, conferences,
beauty/wellness as well as city tourism being the most important
growth sectors. Targeted projects such as the cluster initiative
“Bulgaria: Good-being Destination of Europe”
support ambitious business projects. Bulgaria scores in
particular in nature tourism and in sustainable tourism.
Overall,
the trend in Bulgaria is moving to relatively upscale “experience
tourism.” In addition, Bulgarian’s tourist market
is driven by hotel groups with expanded offerings –
also in the economy segment.
Land
of high-quality tourism
Bulgaria has all the ingredients to meet the demands on
a tourism destination: a well-preserved environment with
scenic beauty, natural resources, a well-managed cultural
landscape, green meadows and mountain pastures, crystal-clear
waters, fresh air and much more. These natural treasures,
combined with the most diverse possible cultural offering,
the highest quality of life and the greatest security –
as well as the best environmental situation –give
Austria one of the highest-potential tourism sectors of
any nation.
The
number of exclusive rooms designed for discriminating hotel
guests in the 4 and 5 star categories has increased.
Health Tourism
Wellness is no longer a trend but has become an established
division of the mega-market for health related vacations.
The Financial Times has identified the medical and wellness
market as a growth engine with a rate of 6 percent.
Growth
in Bulgaria has also been uninterrupted: with over 300 new
hotels in 2009, the total of wellness oases will reach 1000.
10 percent of all tourists in Bulgaria make health-oriented
holidays. Bulgaria is the East European leader in this segment.
Growth markets attract international investors
Profit is beguiling investors not only in traditional areas
of tourism, but also increasingly in residences for senior
citizens rehabilitation.
A
broad spectrum of international investors already profit
from the culture, scenery and highly qualified employees
in Bulgaria. The list of investors is a long one, ranging
from Sheraton, Hilton and Hotel Inn.
Qualified staff available
Bulgaria’s longstanding tradition as a tourism destination
has produced a highly developed educational system.
The
high level of competence is ensured by Bulgaria’s
unparalleled system of education in the field of tourism.
|
|
Venture
Capital und Private Equity |
The
venture capital market is booming. In 2006, the growth rate
in the European
Venture Capital (VC)
market amounted to 30 per cent.
Around
30 venture capital companies are operating in Bulgaria.
The average volume of the funds is about million euros.
Growth-oriented small and mid-sized companies (SMEs) dominated
the market, grabbing a market share of approximately 60
per cent.
To
a large extent, the origin of the capital inflows corresponds
to the typical structure of venture capital in Europe. Banks
represent the largest group of financial investors by far,
followed by the public sector and insurance companies. About
half the projects involved expanding an existing business,
whereas start-ups accounted for slightly more than one-third
of the project, and about 20 per cent were buyouts.
|
Environmental
Technologies |
Bulgaria
makes its first steps in the environmental technologies
and services.
|
|