The plant first responded to the 20% decline in orders in 2012 by cutting shifts and later also managed to strike a deal with the trade union on adjusting working time to avert lay-offs.

Spokeswoman Nevenka Bašek Zildžović told the STA the company used the hiatus for maintenance works and activities related to the assembly of new Renault-Daimler models, which are expected to go into serial production in 2014.

This project is expected to revive production and increase employment as early as 2013.