WARSAW, July 24 (Reuters) - Italy's Fiat plans to create 500 new jobs in Poland this year to launch productionof its new Gingo model, the head of its Polish unit was quoted as saying on Thursday.
"In July or early August we will finish the recruitment of (assembly) workers and engineers. The workforce of Fiat Auto Poland will increase from 3,100 to 3,300 people," Enrico Pavoni told local business tabloid Puls Biznesu.
"But this is not all. By the end of the year we want to increase the employment to 3,600," he said. No one at Fiat Auto Poland was immediately available to confirm the report.
Fiat, which produces several compact models in Poland, is the market leader in central Europe's biggest car market with a share of nearly 18 percent. After a two-year slump, first-half sales grew 13 percent to above 31,000 units here.
Fiat in Italy is undergoing a deep restructuring after a slump in global car sales brought it to the worst crisis of its 104-year history.
The car maker is betting three new models due for launch after the summer will breathe life back into its sales, which fell 11 percent in its key Italian market in the first half. In June Fiat's Italian market share hit a record low of 27 percent.