About Arad

At the junction of East and West

ROMANIA’S TOTAL POPULATION is some 22 million, 12 million of which live in urban areas and 10 million in rural areas. The country is divided into 41 counties.

THE CITY OF ARAD is located in Arad County, in the western part of Romania. The county lies on 7,754 sq kms and has some 461,000 inhabitants. Arad, the administrative center of the county, is the 13th largest city of Romania with a population of 173,000. The city is considered one of the most dynamic cities in Romania due to the higher proportion of 15 to 59 year old population.


WITH A RICH INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRADITION, Arad is one of the most prosperous towns in Romania. Thanks to numerous investments near the border, the city has a booming economy. Arad is the most important trans-European road and rail transportation junction point in Western Romania, included in the 4th Pan-European Corridor linking Western Europe to South-Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries.

Crossing Borders

The total catchment area of a devoloper in Arad includes approximately 500,000 inhabitants.

CATCHMENT AREA      Population      Population Cumulative
Primary                     170,000            170,000
Secondary                  80,000             250,000
Tertiary                     250,000            500,000

THE PRIMARY CATCHMENT AREA of a developer includes the whole of Arad city.

THE SECONDARY CATCHMENT AREA adds another cca. 80,000 inhabitants living in the neighboring towns. Since the city is very well located, significant traffic is expected from cities of the region.

THE TERTIARY CATCHMENT AREA will include parts of Timis county as well as the south-eastern regions of Hungary. The scheme will be one of the major shopping destinations in the region.

Located on the Western side of the country, the county of Arad is contiguous with the counties of Bihor, Alba, Hunedoara and TimiÅŸ, being the main entrance gate in Romania from Central and Western Europe, with three points of border crossing by car and one by train. With a total area of 7.654 square kilometers, the county is made up of 78 territorial and administrative units, out of which a city – Arad, which is the residence-city of the county, 9 towns (ChiÅŸineu-CriÅŸ, Curtici, Ineu, Lipova, Nădlac, Pecica, Pancota, SebiÅŸ and Santana) and 68 villages.
The county’s population reached 461.791 inhabitants at the last census, out of which 233.992 inhabitants belong to the urban area..
The county’s natural landscape is made up of a well-distributed, multi-staged relief from East to West, of a water network mainly flowing into the two great rivers, the MureÅŸ and the CriÅŸul Alb. The relief is grouped in approximately equal proportions, being represented by the mountainous stage, the hill, depression and passage stage, and the field stage. Each group represents, at its turn, one third of the county’s total area.
The county of Arad has important natural resources for the economy. Among them, the most important are the mineral resources, such as the hydrocarbon deposits, marble, mineral waters and so on and so forth.
The county’s economy acquires great dynamics at present, with great and significant growth in all fields of activity.
The agricultural potential of the county marks this area as one of the biggest cereal and vegetable fields in Romania. The agricultural surface represents about 66% out of the total area of the county, and 3,4% out of the country’s area, being placed on the fourth position in this matter. The structure of ownership over these fields is mainly private. Poultry breeding and beekeeping are also present in the economy of the county.
Being located in the Western Field of Romania, the agricultural sector has a special importance. The branches of the food industry ensure the processing of cattle meat, pork and poultry meat, and of milk. In percentages, the food and beverage industry holds 18, 7% out of the total industry. The main products of the food industry are: meat, meat products, milk products ,cheese, butter, alcoholic beverages and liqueurs; fruit and vegetables.
Tourism in Arad? is remarkable. The harmonious joining of the forms of relief, the favorable climate, the flora and fauna elements, the presence of mineral waters and the abundance of historical and architectural monuments make this area a true cross-fading of touristic landscapes.
A short SWOT analysis of the county indicates the existence of strong points (the positioning on the Pan-European corridor No. IV, geographical settlement, the existence of industrial areas, international airport and cargo terminal), opportunities (the county’s belonging to the DKMT Euro region, the development of trans-frontier co-operation, the recognition of the county as the main fair organizer in the western part of the country, experience in winning and putting forth projects financed through EU grants, revitalization of some traditional industrial branches, and the development of some new ones, reduced unemployment rate).
The County of Arad has 14,513 companies which have deposed their balance sheets up to the 31st of December 2007, out of which 11,044 are considered active because they have reported an economic activity.
The main fields of activity of these companies are (in percentages): production -20%, services – 28%, commerce – 28%, export – 16% and construction – 8%.

Here are some statistical figures:
  total share capital – 2,031 million lei;
  Turnover – 9.3 billion lei;
  Profit made – 715 million lei;
  Total moving assets – 3.6 billion lei;
  Unemployment rate – 2, 6% in the county and under 1% in the city

The number of companies with foreign investors is of 2.389, with a total share capital of almost 200 million dollars.
The industrial branches represented in Arad are: carriage and rolling material production, furniture, automobile components, textiles and leather, clothing and knitwear, machine tools, agricultural machines. The economy of Arad holds important percentages in the national economy: 1st place in production of rolling material, 5th place in production of textiles, 7th place in leather and shoe production, 13th in the production of furniture.
Goods exported from Arad in 2007 are valued at about 94.633 thousands Euros, the main products being: textiles and confection products, automobile parts, carriages and rolling material, furniture, shoes, electrical equipment etc.
The biggest economical weight is held by the processing industry (over 85%) , and within this, 1st place goes to the clothes and lingerie industry, the 2nd to rolling material, the 3rd to automobile parts, followed by the furniture production, metal construction and composing parts, leather industry and shoes.
    Compared to 2006, for the economy of Arad, 2007 represents a growth:
-    industrial production: 2.3%
-    Turnover made in industry: 3.4%.

To the achievement of these performances, the following have had a great contribution:

EXPO ARAD INTERNATIONAL Complex (www.expoarad.eu) , located on the western part of Arad, on DN 7 (E68), the only exhibition complex built after the events in 1989, the first specialized capacity built in Romania after approximately 60 years, thanks to the great investment of the Arad Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (over 700,000 Euros) and to a PHARE-CBC grant of over 2,3 million Euros; it is made up of two pavilions of 1,500 square meters each, and has three outside exhibition grounds totalizing 17,000 square meters. The Arad Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture has an experience of 18 years in the field of organizing fairs and exhibitions, owning from 2002 a ground dedicated to and equipped to European standards. The A Pavilion was given into use in June 2002, and the B Pavilion, in December 2005;

THE CARGO TERMINAL on the Arad International Airport; the infrastructure was completed thanks to another PHARE-CBC project, through which the Arad City Council obtained funds of 2 million Euros, added to an own contribution of about 700,000 Euros. The terminal is the first, after the one in Bucharest, which was specially designed and built to fulfill its function as cargo terminal, with the purpose of accomplishing its mission for air transport of merchandise. It was given into use in 2004 and can ensure services for 24 hours a day;

THE CURTICI - ARAD FREE ZONE is a territory where investors benefit from a great deal of facilities in unfolding their activity. It was set up based on the Ordinance of Romania’s Government No. 449/08.06.1999 and has two platforms: Curtici location, situated in the vicinity of the Hungarian border, on railway; the location on the eastern part of Arad, adjacent to the runway of the Arad International Airport. Compared to the other free zones in Romania, the one in Arad is the only situated on the track of a pan-European transport corridor, Corridor 4, close to four border points. It can be accessed by three of the four existing transport means: road, railway and airway. It is, also, the only free zone located in the western part of Romania, the others being on the southern part of the country, near the harbors at the Black Sea and the Danube;

THE WESTERN INDUSTRIAL ZONE with a total surface of 150 hectares is situated in the north-western part of the city, with direct access to DN 7 (E68). The destination of the area is industry, storage, services, having as utilities: interior roads (modern asphalt covering) – 3.1 km; gas network – low pressure (2,200 Nmc/h) – 3.8 km; pluvial sewer – 5.2 km; domestic pressurized sewer network – 4.7 km; drinkable water network – 4.6 km; electrical network (20 KV, 8MW installed power) – 14.3 km; water tank for extinction of fires. Companies and institutions situated in the area are: : LEONI WIRING SYSTEMS SRL, EASTERN TECHNOLOGY SRL, NDB LOGISTICA ROMANIA SRL, EURO IMOBILIARE SRL, COMBI SPEDITION SRL, LACKNER & SCHWARTZ ROMANIA SRL, JURGEN SCHLOSSER ARMATUREN SRL, INCONTRO PREFABRICATI SA, COTURNIX SRL, ROMANIAN ARTS & CRAFTS SRL, JOHNSON ROMANIA SRL, MEDIAVAM SPEDIZIONIERE SRL, LGA EXPRESS SRL, TAKATA – PETRI ROMANIA SRL, MIC ROMANIA SRL, ROWO SRL, JRL EDITION SRL, MANITOBA TEX SRL, INVEST ITALROM SRL, VILLDIA TRANS INTERNATIONAL SRL, TOP SA, ARAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE – EXPO ARAD INTERNATIONAL, CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT SRL, CRIÅžAN GROUP SRL, ROMTRANS SA, WOODCOTE SRL, TOTAL PLUS SRL, TOTAL MBC SRL, ITAL CARS SRL, WORLD CONSULTING SRL, PORTA KMI ROMANIA SRL, EUROLAND SRL, NUOVA NEON BASSANO ROMANIA SRL, YAZAKI COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY SRL, C & V ITAL-FOREST SRL, CMT COMPANY SRL;

THE EASTERN INDUSTRIAL ZONE with an area of 20 hectares, is situated in the eastern part of the city, with direct accès to DN 7 (E68), at the exit towards Deva. The destination of the area is industry, storage, services, having as utilities : interior roads (modern asphalt covering) – 0.3 km; gas network – low pressure (2,500 Nmc/h); pluvial sewer – 0.4 km; domestic pressurized sewer network – 0.7 km; drinkable water network – 0.4 km; electrical network (0.4 KV, 630 KVA installed power) – 0.4 km. Companies located in the area are: SELIN S SRL, MANOLO SRL, AUTO SML SRL, QUARK MOTORS SRL, INTER SERVICE MURESUL SRL, VALDORF SRL, MISTER S SRL, LOTUS SRL, NAVAL EST SRL, ROMITALIA IMPEX SRL, ADRIAN COMPACT SRL, MR. FAB SRL, COMAGRO VEST SRL, MARTIN SRL, SERGIO GIANINA SRL, FOX SRL;

THE NORTHERN INDUSTRIAL ZONE has an area of 110 hectares, with the following utilities: an electrical network at 220 KV at north ; four electrical networks of 110 KV at east-west ; north-south and the eastern and western extremes ; an area for water draining from the Arad County Jail to Ier, in the center of the area, oriented north-south. In order to ensure the fully functioning of companies, the entire area will be equipped with the necessary utilities, as follows: drinkable water network, industrial water, water tank for extinction of fires, domestic sewerage, pluvial sewerage (towards the Ier Natural Canal); electrical network, phone network; gas network;

THE SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL ZONE with an area of 150 hectares, situated at the southern part of the city (at the exit towards Zădăreni), being used for industry, storage and services. Regarding infrastructure, we can mention: electrical network of 110KV, prospective studies for utility capacities (water, natural gas, electrical power and sewerage);

THE CHIÅžINEU-CRIÅž INDUSTRIAL AREA is the result of the efforts of the Town Hall in ChiÅŸineu-CriÅŸ in order to capitalize the utilities and infrastructure available after 1989. The Local Council has sold and is still selling land to interested investors. The area is situated at an almost equal distance from three major interest points: Arad, the Hungarian border and the highway in Hungary. The attractiveness of the area has convinced several major investors like ALCOA FUJIKURA or NEXANS to settle here ;

THE TURNU INDUSTRIAL ZONE is a common project of the company with Italian share capital IDEA PRO and the Pecica Town Hall;

THE NÄ‚DAB INDUSTRIAL PARK is also situated close to the entrance in ChiÅŸineu-CriÅŸ, it is extended on 24 hectares and offers 18 plots equipped with the main utilities. The industrial park is run by the Italian company MODUS from Montebelluna (TV).
 
The main and most representative industrial branches and companies in Arad are the following:
    Freight railcars - Astra Trinity and passenger railcars - Astra Vagoane Calatori
    Furniture and accessories for furniture: IMAR, MGA, Cotta International, Feroneria
    Clothing and textiles: Sabina & Co., Moda, TEBA, Manitoba
    Food industry: Petra, Indagrara, Arbema - Brau Union Romania
    Equipment for car industry: Leoni Wiring Systems Romania, Takata-Petri Romania
    Electric components: Eastern Technology
    Meters: Contor Zenner, Victoria
    Shoes industry: West Shoes Industry
    Paramedical materials: Sanevit
The following banks are operating in Arad:   
•    Alpha Bank
•    Banca C.R. Firenze
•    Banca Italo Romena
•    Banca Romaneasca
•    Banca Transilvania
•    Bancpost
•    BCR
•    BRD - Groupe Societe Generale
•    CEC
•    CreditEurope Bank
•    Egnatia Bank
•    Emporiki Bank
•    GarantiBank
•    HVB Locuinte
•    ING Bank
•    Millennium Bank
•    OTP Bank
•    Piraeus Bank
•    ProCredit Bank
•    Raiffeisen Bank
•    RBS
•    Sanpaolo Imi Bank
•    UniCredit Tiriac
•    Volksbank

In Arad, as mentioned above, there are 4 Industrial Areas, every one of them fully developed and will offer a modern infrastructure, so that the companies settled here can develop prosperous business. The infrastructure consists of - Streets, Footpaths, Street illumination, Gas, Electricity, Canalization, Sewage wather treatment, Telecommunications, Fire estinguishing equipment.
1.    VESTERN INDUSTRIAL AREA
-    established in  1998
-    Stretches on a surface of 105 ha in the construction area of the town ARAD and lies in a very developed area of the city.

 
2.    EASTERN INDUSTRIAL AREA
-    established in  2002
-    stretches on a surface of 20 ha

  


3.    NORTHERN INDUSTRIAL AREA
-    established in  2004
-    stretches on a surface of 110ha

4.    SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL AREA- ZADARENI
-    established in  2004
-    stretches on a surface of 150 HA
-    the most importatnt area in the future, close to the highway
 

The city of Arad is developing. There are lot of projects going on, like :
                   

 
Commercial centers (Malls). No less then 7 projects were anounced, like :
o    Arad Palace Arad  
o    Ice Plaza Arad 
o    Atrium Center Arad 
o    AFI Palace Arad, the new AFI Europe Romania investment, consists of a 93,000 sq m Shopping Mall and a 20,500 sq m Office Tower, totalling 113,500 sq m. The new commercial project investment reaches over 113 million Euro. Located in the heart of the city, AFI Place Arad is conveniently located at the intersection of Calea Aurel Vlaicu and 6 Vanatori Blvd. Easy accessible, the shopping center borders an exclusive residential area. It is also in proximity to the commercial and business districts. 

Residential
•    RED 1 Rezidential Ensemble UTA
•    Urbanna - real-estate projects

   
•    Bermo - real-estate projects

    
             
         
Infrastructure

    Strategy for developing the infrastructure in the future

    Romania’s highway development program will need EUR 10 billion by 2025, according to the general manager of the National Highway and Road Company (CNADN). The country will have at that time 2,500 km of highways and four-lane roads. According to its general manager, CNADN is currently negotiating for seven public-private partnerships on the modernisation of some roads and highways as well as for the related maintenance services.
    Until 2010 there will be finalised the highways on routes Brasov – Bors, Bucuresti – Constanta, Bucuresti – Brasov,
Bucuresti – Pitesti and Arad – Sibiu.
    In the future, important European funds and E.U. companies will be involved in the implementation of an ambitious Romanian plan: the highway construction.
    The Ministry of Transport, Constructions and Tourism has as objective for the next period the developing of the road network, in order to render it compatible with European networks. Romania need to have an infrastructure at European level and has a commitment towards the European Union, considering the fact that the Romanian territory is crossed by two Pan-European transport corridors. Corridor IV crosses Romania from the east to the west and Corridor IX from the north to the south. Moreover, TEM and TEN networks are also extended on the territory of Romania. Romania is a key link, which secures the connection between continents. That is one more reason for Romania to have a road infrastructure implemented at the current standards and a strategy at national level correlated with the international demands.
    In the pictures below, is presented the Nadlac- Arad – Timisoara highway, the most important section of the Pan-European Corridor IV.