Mobile

Nokia's new handset factory in Romania has reached the milestone of producing its first millionth mobile phone, report the local Business Standard newspaper. The factory, situated in the village of Jucu just outside Cluj started production in February and currently has some 700 staff. Plans exist to ramp this up to around 3,500 as the factory reaches full production capacity later this year.

“The start of our production in Romania was a fruitful one, and Nokia clients throughout Europe are pleased. We managed to recruit energetic and dedicated employees, and I am certain that the Cluj factory will become a model of performance in terms of quality products,” said the factory’s General Manager, John Guerry.

Nokia, which controversially moved production from Germany is not the only company in the Romanian city of Cluj. It has courted Vodafone and Orange and Romanian software developers too. The boom is putting pressure on the city though - as the population has jumped from some 300,000 to over 500,000 in just a few years as technology companies flood into the city. While the city still has capacity for employers, there could be a crunch within a few years if infrastructure is not improved to make commuting easier.

According to the American magazine InformationWeek, Cluj-Napoca is quickly becoming Romania's technopolis.