Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze Moldova (SEBN MD), a company that has become one of the leading investors in Moldova’s automotive industry, was presented as a success story for investors during the EU-Moldova Investment Conference held in Chișinău, TRIBUNA reports.

Speaking at the event, Igor Corman, CEO of SEBN MD, highlighted the company’s decade-long journey in Moldova and the key factors behind its success.

“I represent Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze Moldova – a company that has become one of the main investors in Moldova’s automotive industry. Our operational headquarters are in Germany, while our shareholders – SEI and SWS – are in Japan. As I usually say, we have a German mother and a Japanese grandmother,” Corman remarked.

He noted that SEBN MD launched its operations in Moldova ten years ago and currently runs two production facilities in Orhei and Strășeni, employing around 3,300 people. The company manufactures customized wiring harnesses and electronic systems for the international automotive industry, primarily serving Volkswagen and Škoda Auto.

According to Corman, the company’s success in Moldova is built on four key factors: people, patience, flexibility, and the country’s strategic position within the European market.

“Human capital remains Moldova’s most important competitive advantage,” he said, emphasizing the talent, adaptability, and commitment of Moldovan employees. He also stressed the importance of long-term investment, continuous improvement in efficiency and quality, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions.

Corman further underlined that Moldova offers a strategic combination of competitive industrial capabilities, proximity to the European Union market, and growing economic integration with Europe. From the outset, SEBN MD has operated according to European and international standards, enabling the company to become part of sophisticated European automotive value chains.

Addressing the future of EU-Moldova economic integration, Corman identified predictability as the most important requirement for investors.

“Businesses can work with many challenges — competition, logistics problems, even crises — but what investors and customers need most is a stable and predictable environment,” he stated.

He pointed to two major challenges facing Moldova. The first is the impact of the war in neighboring Ukraine, which affects customer perceptions, insurance costs, and long-term planning. In this regard, he described Moldova’s future membership in the European Union as a key factor in strengthening stability and investor confidence.

The second challenge is intensifying international competition. According to Corman, Eastern European countries are no longer competing only among themselves but increasingly with regions such as North Africa, where governments actively attract industrial investment through incentives and lower operating costs.

Looking ahead, SEBN MD is exploring opportunities not only to maintain but also to expand its operations in Moldova, including investments in advanced wiring systems for next-generation vehicles, such as electric and autonomous cars.

“By contributing to advanced automotive production, Moldova can move from being primarily a low-cost manufacturing location to becoming an integrated part of Europe’s future industrial ecosystem,” Corman said.

He added that the EU Growth Plan for Moldova should support such initiatives and stressed that international companies play a crucial role in integrating Moldova into European industrial value chains.

“In my view, positioning Moldova in Europe’s industrial value chains is not only an economic project. It is also a strategic and geopolitical project — one that can anchor Moldova more deeply in the European economic space,” he concluded.