Ljubljana - Hella Saturnus Slovenija, the subsidiary of the German group Hella, is planning an investment worth EUR 107.7 million into a new logistics centre that is to create 50 new jobs. The government is expected to subsidise it with EUR 5.42 million in 2022-2025, according to working documents prepared for government sessions.

The new logistical centre will also feature a laboratory to test new products and technologies, a production facility for new electronic components, and a warehouse.

The company, which develops and produces car headlights, plans to complete the project in 2025. Of the 50 planned jobs, it must create at least ten for highly skilled workers.

The goal of the investment is to prepare the company for new automotive trends of electrification, connectivity, digitalisation and autonomous driving, according to the working documents.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology approved Hella Saturnus's application for an incentive at the end of December.

The company is to receive nearly EUR 1.3 million this year, EUR 2.3 million next year, EUR 1.38 million in 2024 and EUR 445,900 in 2025.

In the business year running from 1 June 2020 until 31 May 2021, Hella Saturnus generated EUR 264.8 million in net sales revenue, down 16.5% from a year earlier.

Its net profit reached EUR 6.6 million, down from EUR 10.8 million, according to its annual business report, posted on the AJPES website.

Hella Saturnus is owned by Germany's Hella, which has been in 80% ownership of French automotive supplier Faurecia since January.

The Slovenian company Saturnus, Hella Saturnus's predecessor, was established in 1921, and was sliced up into four parts after Slovenia became independent.

In 1997, Hella KGaA Hueck&Co acquired 52% in one of the new companies, Saturnus Avtooprema, which eventually became 100% German-owned and renamed Hella Saturnus Slovenija in 2008.