Orion from Kragujevac expands its network of foreign partners - Machine parts and automatic sheet metal cutting machines in demand in Italy, India, Spain

For five years now, every Saturday, machine parts from the factory of Kragujevac-based Orion are shipped to the Italian company Savio, one of the largest manufacturers of equipment for the textile industry. In addition to the successful partnership with Italians, Orion also delivers automatic sheet metal cutting machines to the Indian company Amod, with which it plans to intensify cooperation in 2011. Since recently, the list of Orion's foreign partners includes Fagor from Spain, for which it produces components for sheet metal cutting machines, and the company should also sign an agreement with the Czech company Kontinental on the delivery of automobile parts soon.

- We have already started a business cooperation with Fiat by working on the maintenance of Punto assembly lines, and we expect to start producing original equipment soon - Dragisa Ilic, owner and director of Orion, says in a statement for eKapija.

The key strategic markets of the company are Russia, Ukraine, and the countries of western Europe. At the recently finished Trade Fair of Automotive Parts in Kragujevac, Orion had talks with Bosch, Magna, Webasto, Knorr. Orion also produces machine parts and instruments for the tobacco refining industry, mining, pharmaceutical, glass and food industries.

- Aside from the production intended for the processing industry, we are also engaged in molding and processing castings of various materials (steel, aluminum, bronze, brass), manufacturing various housings for pumps, reductors, as well as springs of all kinds - says Ilic.

Due to increased interest of foreign partners, Orion has recently procured three more state-of-the-art CNC machines for its production plant and plans to employ another two engineers in 2011. Further expansion of capacities will depend on the interest of potential partners.

- Last year we exported two machines to India, for the company Amod, and this year we should produce few more such machines, costing about EUR 300,000 a piece, 70 to 80 cheaper than the competition. We are very proud of these machines, a result of the Serbian intelligence, because they are completely constructed and designed at Orion in cooperation with the Belgrade-based software developer Umbra. Parts for machines, that is, electronics, pneumatics, bearings, are imported, while the rest of components are procured in the domestic market.

Orion bicycles and mopeds

The company Orion is also famous for the production of bicycles, with the total annual capacities ranging between 20 and 30 thousand pieces, thus covering about 25 percent of the Serbian market. The product portfolio of the Kragujevac-based company includes 30 high-quality and modern models for all ages.

Also, Orion has been assembling mopeds for 16 years and scooters for 11 years now, and its most important suppliers of equipment are Hero Majestic from India, Honda, and Puch, while the most usual buyers of mopeds are citizens, water power and forestry organizations, cooperatives, and various entrepreneurs.

- Since 2000, we assemble scooters in cooperation with the Chinese manufacturers Jonway and Benzhou Group, the quality leaders in the eastern market, and we also entered into a cooperation agreement with Hanlong Motor corporation in 2008. We currently assemble six models of scooters of up to 50 ccm, two models of 125 ccm, and one 250 ccm model. In 2009 we started assembling the models of the Chinese manufacturer Zhijang so that our offer was expanded to include another model of moped and 2 models of motorcycles of 125 and 200 ccm. All scooters and mopeds are delivered to our factory in parts, and we then assemble and deliver them to end buyers.

T.S.