Turkey's Kaizen employing 800 workers in Smederevo – T-shirt production for America's Atos starting on September 19

The textile factory registered in Smederevo, Kaizen d.o.o, a subsidiary of the Turkish company Kardem, has employed 229 workers since June 1 and plans to have around 800 employees by June 2017. On September 19, it will start producing t-shirts for the the American brand Atos.

– Of the 229 employees, around 70 are being trained in Smederevo, in line with Kardem's principles. The training, which otherwise lasts for three months, has been shortened to six weeks, as we want to advance quicker – stated Kushat Yilmaz, manager at Kardem and Kaizen.

According to him, there are five production lines in Smederevo currently and it is expected that the production of t-shirts for Atos will begin on September 19. The customers' approval is being waited for, which is a usual prerequisite for the commencement of production.

– We plan to employ around 800 workers by next June, regardless of the education and line of work, and once we've reached that goal, we will start considering another investment, of the greenfield type, which we believe will be in Smederevo – Yilmaz stated.

Yilmaz emphasized that all the employees in the Smederevo facility had had employment contracts from the beginning and that they were being paid minimum wages because “they are being trained for what will follow”.

He added that, once the “true” production started on September 19, they would be able to consider raising the salaries slightly, relative to the competition in Smederevo. The workers are being paid RSD 10,000 during the training. They also receive RSD 1,700 for meals and their transportation is paid for.

At the company's presentation at the Job Fair in May, it was said that, initially, 270 people would work in the Smederevo textile factory, with a prospect of employing around 2,500 in the next few years. There salaries were not mentioned.

Those interested to work in the company first have to take a general knowledge test. Those who pass are called to training.

Kaizen d.o.o. Beograd

Kaizen Smederevo

Kardem Turkey

t shirt production Smederevo

Kushat Yilmaz

Atos