The German Electro-Mechatronic Systems company signed an investment agreement with the Macedonian Government to open a plant producing solar panels and LED lights. The company will invest 15 million EUR in the plant that will be located in the free industrial zone near Skopje, and will hire 200 employees.

Construction is expected to begin in February or March and production should start by the end of the year. The contract was signed by company representative Ahmed Alshaer and Government Minister Bill Pavleski, while Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Pesevski were present at the ceremony.

Pavleski said that this latest investment will be significant not only for the new jobs, but because it will bring top level German technology into the country.

"The primary market for the company will be the Middle East, and in a year, also the European market. The products will be used in a variety of industries that need economical and ecological lighting. The company looked into a number of other locations in the region and decided to move its producing capacities from south-eastern China into Macedonia thanks to the favorable business conditions, the available work force and the excellent infrastructure", Pavleski said.

Alshaer said that the company has one of the best centers for research and development, and will help make Macedonia a center for energy conservation technologies.