The investment of US Genthrem in erecting a factory in Prilep-based industrial zone will open 2.000 jobs and offer work to many local companies, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski told reporters on Friday.

"According to the announcement of the company's President and his associates, Gentherm is entering Macedonia, choosing Prilep for locating its new factory. The factory's construction should be launched rather soon, this March or April, and completed in October," Gruevski said after opening a sports hall in a primary school in Ljubanci village.

The new factory offers opportunity to residents of Prilep region to apply for joining the labor force of Gentherm. Local companies may also be engaged as suppliers to the Gentherm plant in Macedonia, Gruevski said.

Last December, Gentherm announced that the plant would start working in the Q4 of 2015. Up to 1,000 jobs are planned to be created in the first three years of operation, with a final number of about 2.000 employees to be reached in the later stage of development. Gentherm, a pioneer in producing vehicle heating and cooling systems, has its main European production lines in Ukraine, and is now diversifying into Macedonia. The company has a total of about 8.600 employees, with annual sales of US$800 million.