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Ensinger builds plant in Pleven, XOPark in Stara Zagora to cost close to EUR 20m

German firm Ensinger is investing over EUR 10m in Pleven, with up to 130 jobs planned. For XOPark in Stara Zagora, the investor names close to EUR 20m and 150–200 jobs.

Graphic: investment projects by region, 23.10.2026 (own graphic)
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)

Data as of: As of 23 October 2026, approx. 07:25

Total of projects with stated value523.5EUR m
New jobs (stated)3,081
Budget deficit 2025 (NSI, % of GDP)4.0%
FDI Jan–Aug 2026 (BNB)3.83EUR bn +100.50 %

German plastics maker Ensinger is converting a 12,500 m² building in the Northern Industrial Zone of Pleven. It is investing over EUR 10m. Up to 24 machines will make insulating profiles for windows, doors and façades. At full capacity there will be 100 to 130 jobs. Start is planned for spring 2027 (Investor.bg, Money.bg, 22 Oct).

In Stara Zagora, ground was broken on Thursday for the XOPark retail park. The investor Trinity Capital has now named an amount: close to EUR 20m. Over 26 shops and 150 to 200 jobs are planned. Opening is set for 2027 (BTA, 22 Oct).

The total of projects with a stated value rises from EUR 493.5m to EUR 523.5m. Where a range is given, we count the lower figure. Stated new jobs rise to 3,081. PM Radev asked US firms and Google to invest. Google is giving USD 1m to the AI institute INSAIT. No new plants were announced.

New forecast: consultancy EY expects Bulgaria to grow 2.9% in 2026 and 3.5% in 2027. Inflation is seen averaging 5.4% in 2026 and 4.4% in 2027.

Investment projects and job cuts (new at top)
RegionCompany / projectSectorAmount (EUR m)Jobs (− = cuts)Status / date
Pleven (Northern Industrial Zone)Ensinger (Germany) – plant for thermoplastic semi-finished products and insulating profiles for windows, doors and façades: 12,500 m² building, up to 24 extrusion lines, 40m metres of profiles a yearPlastics / building products10.0100NEW: reported 22 Oct 2026 (Investor.bg 11:42; Money.bg 16:01; Blitz 17:55); "over EUR 10m" – counted as 10; 100–130 jobs at full capacity – counted as 100; start spring 2027; 10-year lease (+5) from Horizont
Stara Zagora (Kaloyanovsko Shose)Trinity Capital – XOPark Stara Zagora retail park: c. 20,000 m² retail space, over 26 shops, 560 parking spaces, Fantastico supermarket (over 4,000 m²)Retail / real estate20.0150NEW: groundbreaking 22 Oct 2026 (BTA, 12:35); "close to EUR 20m" – counted as 20; 150–200 jobs (investor estimate) – counted as 150; opening 2027
Sofia (city)Google – USD 1m donation to the AI institute INSAIT (over USD 7m in total since 2022); meeting with PM RadevArtificial intelligence / research––NEW: BTA, 22 Oct 2026, 20:42; donation, not an investment – not in the total; no specific digital infrastructure projects named
Yambol (town of Yambol)Bella Bulgaria AD – production expansion: puff pastry and butter products (+100%), packaged pasta products (+5%); 1.65 MW solar plant with 5.016 MWh batteryFood15.046official start 20 Oct 2026 (Fakti, 21 Oct 2026, 12:51); EUR 15m – in total, of which EUR 10m EU funds (Regional Development Programme 2021–2027); 46 new jobs – in job count
Sliven (Sliven Industrial Park)Bolid – warehouse (c. 800 m²), utility rooms and showroom for building materials; first facility in the park (c. 45 ha)Trade / building materials1.05groundbreaking 21 Oct 2026 (BTA, 17:26); about EUR 1m – in total; 5 new jobs; construction c. 12 months
SlivenLempriere Wool (Australian-owned) – closure of raw wool processing plantTextiles / wool–−140reported 20 Oct 2026 (Novini247, 14:15; Blitz, 16:16); 140 workers, employed until end of October; reasons: power and wages, processing cost per kg of wool up from 83–84 cents to over EUR 2.20; cut – not in total
NationwideRegional development ministry – further EUR 250m for the municipal projects investment programme (first tranche EUR 150m on 19 Aug 2026)Public funds / municipal infrastructure––cabinet decision of 21 Oct 2026 (BTA, 16:44); paid in stages; budget programme – not in total
Sliven (Tvarditsa municipality, industrial zone)Asarel-Trade, Power Profit and Tesla – 300 MWh battery storage park (60 MW, 80 Tesla Megapack 2XL), first of three projects totalling over 2,300 MWhEnergy / power storage––Groundbreaking 20 Oct 2026 with PM Radev (BTA 15:05 and 16:35; Money.bg, DBR, Mediapool); operation from Q2 2027; three-project programme over EUR 350m, cost of this park not stated – not in total; jobs not stated
Sliven (Nova Zagora)Ajax Group Holding (via Ajax Agro) – high-tech meat processing complex on 70 decares (7 ha)Food / meat processing–200Investment intention, BTA 20 Oct 2026, 16:10; 'over 200 jobs' – counted as 200; amount not stated; administrative procedures still pending
Sofia (city)Sofia Med – SVAROG project: copper recycling plant (purity over 99.9%), selected by the EU Innovation FundMetals / recycling––ADDED: Investor.bg 19 Oct 2026, 20:02; Mediapool 20 Oct, 15:12; one of 77 projects (EUR 3.4bn EU funding in total); amount and site not disclosed – not in total; about 1.16m t less CO₂ over 10 years
Vidin / Montana (north-west)Roads: Vidin–Montana (lots 0 and 2 by 2027; 3 lots under negotiation), Inovo–Boynitsa–Kula (12 km, by end-2026); tunnel under Petrohan pass (approx. 10 km) – planned as PPP, environmental assessment and route selection under wayInfrastructure / roads––Minister Ivan Shishkov, 19 Oct 2026 (Eurocom, 12:33); Inovo–Boynitsa–Kula contract approx. EUR 12.0m excl. VAT (groundbreaking Sep 2025) – not in total; no amounts given for Vidin–Montana and Petrohan
Nationwide (rail)NKZhI (rail infrastructure) – procedures over EUR 350m halted, contracts over EUR 20m terminated over suspected abuseRail infrastructure––transport minister Georgi Peev on Nova TV, BTA 18 Oct 2026, 19:19; lines not named; cases at state railway BDZ sent to OLAF; halted procedures – not in total
Burgas (Debelt)Steel plant in Debelt – hardly any steel billets from Ukraine since August; runs only about 2 weeks a monthMetallurgy / steel––N. Rangelov (metals association BAMI) on BNR, 16 Oct 2026 (Novini247/3e-news, 13:01); Novinite, 17 Oct 2026, 13:25; about 60,000 t of billets stuck; Pernik plant less affected; jobs not stated – not in total
Nationwide (announced in Golyamo Dryanovo near Kazanlak)EUR 170m state aid for farmers hit by higher fuel and fertiliser prices (fuel scheme first, about EUR 100m)Agriculture / state aid––Minister Plamen Abrovski to BTA, 17 Oct 2026, 14:55; European Commission has approved the aid; aid, not investment – not in total
Blagoevgrad (Gotse Delchev)Pirinplast AD – new extrusion line for polypropylene fluted sheets (width up to 2,100 mm)Plastics / packaging2.0–commissioning reported 16 Oct 2026 (Pirin Info, Standart); EUR 2m – in total; over 95% exported; jobs not stated
Stara Zagora (Kazanlak)TsVP – Kazanlak EOOD – defence technology centre with 8 labs (EU Just Transition Fund)Defence / research43.5603e-news, 15 Oct 2026, 14:48; EUR 43.47m – in total; about 60 scientists needed (per Dimitar Kirkov) – in job count; construction by end-2028, equipment 2029
BurgasLukoil Neftochim Burgas and other Lukoil subsidiaries – US extends general licence to 24 Apr 2027Refining / fuels––BTA, 16 Oct 2026, 07:14; continued operation, not a new investment – not in total; sanctions on Lukoil remain; staff numbers not given
Nationwide13 state-backed projects (IPA; companies and regions not named)Various sectors266.31,840Council of Ministers decision of 14 Oct 2026 (BTA); amount and jobs are investor commitments ("about"); aid amount not stated
Belovo and Velingrad municipalities (eastern Rila) / Chaira PSHPPNEK – Yadenitsa dam and reversible tunnel to Chaira reservoir: state guarantees up to EUR 228.1mEnergy / storage––decision of 14 Oct 2026, guarantees in 2027 budget; loan guarantee, not project value – not in total; tender value EUR 350m excl. VAT (Mediapool)
Sofia province (Novi Han, Elin Pelin municipality)dormakaba (Switzerland) – new plant for automatic entrance systems (revolving and sliding doors), over 22,000 m²Engineering / building technology–200opened 8 Oct 2026, reported 13 Oct 2026 (Standart, DBR); team to exceed 200 people; amount not disclosed – not in total
Sofia province (Elin Pelin)Izida Ceramica – tile plant expansion and upgrade, new SACMI CONTINUA+ line (capacity from 6.5m to c. 11m m²/year)Building materials / ceramics20.0–company statement 13 Oct 2026 (Money.bg; Standart 14 Oct); "over EUR 20m" – counted as 20; timing and jobs not given
Nationwide (stated in Albena, Dobrich province)Investment Programme for municipal projects – EUR 101m paid out in one month (over 560 payments, over 300 projects)Public funding / municipal infrastructure––12 Oct 2026 (BTA); contracts for 2,370 of 3,492 projects; payouts, not a new project – not in total
Nationwide (announced in Sliven)Innovation Ministry – nearly EUR 83m for green technology in micro, small and medium firms (Ivan Vasilev)Funding / SMEs, green technology––10 Oct 2026 (BTA); machinery, equipment, software; programme, not a project – not in total; application date not given
Sliven / south-east BulgariaFund of Funds – over EUR 120m for projects in south-eastern Bulgaria (stated by Alexander Poulev at Sliven forum)Funding / infrastructure, SMEs––10 Oct 2026; funding pool, not a single project – not in total; no companies or jobs named
Sofia province (Pirdop)Aurubis Bulgaria – copper tankhouse expansion, EU strategic projectMetallurgy / raw materials––EU status 9 Oct 2026; per DBR (14 Oct 2026) cathode copper up c. 50% to 340,000 t/year; EUR 120m investment already announced in 2023 (not in total); no job figure; per Plovdiv24 (19 Oct 2026) total investment plan over EUR 400m, EIB loan EUR 200m
Stara Zagora (Kazanlak)Arsenal AD – new automated nitrocellulose line (part of a programme of over EUR 300m)Defence––opened 8 Oct 2026, reported 9 Oct; whole programme over EUR 300m (not in total – cost of the line not given); no job figure
Shumen (near Smyadovo)Karash Invest – planned gunpowder plant, added to list of strategic sitesDefence––Council of Ministers decision of 7 Oct 2026; amount and jobs not stated
Burgas / Karlovo (Plovdiv province)Rheinmetall – gunpowder and 155mm ammunition plantsDefence––Per Mediapool (5 Oct 2026) gunpowder plant moves to Burgas; per Valentin Radev unclear how far the ammunition plant near Karlovo will go ahead (c. 1,000 jobs expected there)
Sliven (industrial park)Sugarland – warehouse and trade base (4,976 m² plot)Food and drinks distribution0.710Reported 2 Oct 2026; construction to start within 12 months, completion within 36
NationwideTextile, clothing and leather industry (BATOK) – firms cutting staff, closingTextiles and clothing––Letter to PM and 8 ministers (2 Oct 2026), reported again 5 Oct 2026; no specific figures
Veliko Tarnovo (Lyaskovets)Armako Industries – production expansionMetal and plastic parts50.0–Planned, announced 2 Oct 2026 (over EUR 50m)
DobrichMagic Flame – Klas Olio: sunflower oil and meal plantFood processing20.060Opened 25 Sep 2026; 60 jobs (other report: 100)
RuseBulmarket Group – LVZ industrial park (over EUR 60m; over 210 staff)Rail equipment60.0210Opened 1 Oct 2026
KardzhaliVESS Modules – solar module plant (1 GW/year)Solar manufacturing15.0200Opened 1 Oct 2026; c. 300 jobs at full capacity
Economy and public finances: latest data (NSI, BNB; forecast: EY)
Indicatorvs prior month (%; industry and construction seasonally adj.)vs year earlier (%)Published
EY forecast: GDP growth 2026 (2027: 3.5%; 2028: 3%)– +2.9 %22 Oct 2026
EY forecast: average inflation 2026 (2027: 4.4%; 2028: 2.5%)– +5.4 %22 Oct 2026
Government deficit 2025: −EUR 4,664m = 4.0% of GDP (2024: 3.0%; April estimate 3.5%); Eurostat with reservation––21 Oct 2026
Government debt end-2025: about EUR 34,797m = 29.9% of GDP (2024: 23.8%)––21 Oct 2026
GDP 2025, updated: EUR 116,548.5m (column 2: real growth vs 2024)– +3.0 %20 Oct 2026
Foreign direct investment, Jan–Aug 2026 (EUR 3,828.7m; BNB, preliminary)– +100.5 %20 Oct 2026
Current account, Jan–Aug 2026: EUR −5,552.4m (4.5% of GDP; a year earlier −2,225.1m)––20 Oct 2026
Newly registered firms, Q3 2026 (7,968; col. 1: vs prior quarter) −29.7 % −31.0 %16 Oct 2026
Firms declared insolvent/bankrupt, Q3 2026 (791; col. 1: vs prior quarter) −18.1 % −22.1 %16 Oct 2026
Job vacancies, Q2 2026 (18,700; rate 0.8%)– −10.8 %16 Oct 2026
Inflation (CPI), September 2026 – final −0.2 % +5.7 %14 Oct 2026
Inflation (HICP, EU method), September 2026 0.0 % +5.6 %14 Oct 2026
Industrial production, August 2026 +0.7 % −5.4 %9 Oct 2026
– manufacturing, August 2026 +0.8 % −6.1 %9 Oct 2026
– energy (power, heat, gas), August 2026 +10.7 % +42.4 %9 Oct 2026
– mining and quarrying, August 2026 −19.7 % −54.1 %9 Oct 2026
Industrial production, July 2026 −3.0 % −6.8 %9 Oct 2026 (per BTA)
Construction output, August 2026 +0.8 % +4.2 %9 Oct 2026
Retail sales, August 2026 (comparable prices) +0.3 % +5.9 %7 Oct 2026
Unemployment by region (%) – latest available data
RegionRegistered, September 2026 (Employment Agency)Registered, August 2026Labour Force Survey 2025 (NSI)
Bulgaria5.435.473.5
Yambol5.20––
Stara Zagora–4.93–
Dobrich–4.20–
Veliko Tarnovo (labour office area)–4.00–

For information only, not investment advice. Prices as of the time stated, not real-time quotes.

Sources

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