Bulgaria enters aerospace production with Liebherr

The German industrial group Liebherr is making one of its largest investments in Bulgaria, investing EUR 90 million in a new production and logistics base in the Trakia Economic Zone (TEZ). The project will create more than 600 new jobs once it is fully operational, said Dieter Pflanzer, Managing Director of Liebherr Transportation Systems Maritsa. According to him, the advantages of the location near Plovdiv include well-trained specialists, a stable and more cost-effective production environment compared to Western Europe, including cheaper and secure energy supply. With this new investment, Liebherr is concentrating its activities in Bulgaria, specifically in the Trakia Economic Zone, CE Report quotes BTA.

In April 2025, Liebherr Transportation Systems Maritsa acquired for EUR 35 million the building of a newly constructed but non-operational bicycle factory owned by Pierer & Maxcom. The property is located in the Maritsa subzone of the Trakia Economic Zone, in close proximity to the refrigerator and freezer plant of Liebherr Hausgerate Maritsa.

The total area of the site is 200,000 sq. m, of which 42,000 sq. m is a production hall. A large-scale reconstruction, expansion, and adaptation of the acquired facility and the adjacent outdoor areas is currently underway. The new base will accommodate the operations of two companies from the Liebherr Group—Liebherr Transportation Systems Maritsa and Liebherr Concrete Technology Maritsa - which are relocating from their current locations in Tsaratsovo and Kuklensko Shose. Most of the equipment will be entirely new, with only part of the concrete technology installations being transferred from Germany, Pflanzer noted.

With this investment, Bulgaria will become part of Liebherr’s aerospace industry for the first time. The new facility will manufacture aviation components for the Liebherr Aerospace division, with the launch of the first production line planned for May 2026 and full production capacity expected to be reached by mid-2027.

The refurbished facility will produce aerospace components - parts for landing gear, air conditioning systems, and flight control systems, among others; heating, ventilation, and cooling systems for rail transport, as well as refrigeration units for refrigerated semi-trailers; and concrete equipment, including concrete mixer trucks and concrete batching plants.

The manufactured climate control and concrete equipment will be exported to all European countries and the Middle East, while the aerospace components will be supplied directly to global aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus and Embraer in Brazil.

At this stage, the company is actively seeking around 600 new employees. The required workforce covers a wide range of professions, including assemblers, mechanics, electricians, hydraulic systems engineers, welders, CNC programmers, industrial engineers, designers, quality specialists, administrative staff, and others.

The new production facility is equipped with a 4 MW photovoltaic installation, energy-efficient thermal insulation, and LED lighting. All solutions meet the group’s strict standards for sustainable, efficient, and environmentally friendly production.

Liebherr has been present in Bulgaria for more than a quarter of a century, with the group operating three separate businesses in the Trakia Economic Zone. The refrigerator and freezer plant of Liebherr Hausgerate Maritsa, opened in 2000, was the first major investor in the Maritsa subzone of the TEZ. It was followed by Liebherr Transportation Systems Maritsa - for air conditioning and heating systems for the railway industry and refrigerated transport - and Liebherr Concrete Technology Maritsa - for concrete mixer trucks. With the new investment, a qualitative leap is being made toward high-tech and aerospace production.

In February 2026, the Bulgarian government also approved a memorandum of understanding with Liebherr Transportation Systems Maritsa, supporting the expansion of the group’s activities in the country.