News

ROAL Begins Operations At Tunisian Plant

September 06, 2007 by Jeff Shepard

ROAL Electronics officially announced the beginning of operations at its new factory in Tunisia. The Tunisia investment is part of the company’s long term commitment to enhance its ability to respond to the constantly changing requirements of its customer base, which requires flexibility, efficient logistics and integration, and constant attention to cost containment.

ROAL’s decision to create a manufacturing plant in Tunisia was fostered by the successful experience ROAL has had with one of its key subassembly suppliers, who has been operating a facility in Tunisia for the past several years nearby the new ROAL plant. In addition to a very central Mediterranean location (the plant is a short one hour flight from the company’s headquarters) Tunisia offers an improving business environment, a favorable taxation system, a highly qualified and motivated workforce, as well as a flexible labor market.

ROAL’s CEO Alessandro Leopardi, in discussing the new ROAL initiatives commented that the beginning of production in this new facility "completes the first phase of a major investment plan at ROAL, designed to reposition the company on several strategic fronts. From a manufacturing point of view, the Tunisia factory completes the set up of a worldwide manufacturing network able to respond competitively to the ever-changing business climate. At the same time ROAL is moving ahead with plans to increase its R&D and Marketing presence in Italy, Europe and the US, focusing the Italian and US facilities on Development, Manufacturing and Quality Management and Customer Support".

Leopardi further commented, "In today’s business environment, we are faced with two prominent challenges: customers require faster product delivery times, without increasing their material liabilities, and they do not want to take ownership of the inventory whether it be on the water or in the air. As a result, we are driven to structure our own processes to ensure flexibility and cost improvements. ROAL Tunisia will enable our company to efficiently serve our customers as well as support their future growth.

"After several years of successful outsourcing in the region, ROAL Tunisia combined with ROAL’s highly skilled manufacturing engineering staff, will prove to be an efficient manufacturing leader in delivering technology which improves the quality of life by addressing energy conservation. The plant in Tunisia will be totally integrated on a real time basis with all of our other facilites. Our Manufacturing and Quality Personnel will be able to monitor progress, activitiy and the quality of our customer’s products, in real time, independently from the manufacturing location."

ROAL’s Tunisia plant, in addition to conforming to the same procedures and standards of our other plants, is equipped with modern technology for the production of complex power supply products, solid state lighting products, and build to print manufacturing services Construction of the new factory began in February 2007, the first samples were shipped in July 2007, and its first production line began full operations in August 2007.

"This is an extraordinary result obtained exclusively with the dedication and passion of our Tunisia Project Team. We really thank all of them for the outstanding job they are doing." stated Leopardi.

Leopardi concluded by voicing his appreciation for the assistance the government of Tunisia has provided. "The government of Tunisia has worked hard to improve its investment climate and it is attracting the attention of many world-class enterprises. Today there are more than 2600 foreign or mixed companies operating in Tunisia. Eighty-five percent of these enterprises export the totality of their production."