Rodae

Rodae was the automotive manufacturing venture established in Craiova, Romania, by S.C. Automobile Craiova S.A. and South Korea’s Daewoo Heavy Industries in 1994. The company was officially known as RODAE Automobile Craiova S.A. and was later referred to as Daewoo Automobile Romania S.A. Its creation marked a major stage in the modernization and internationalization of Romania’s automotive industry after the transition away from the centrally planned economy. Daewoo began operations in Romania in November 1994 by opening a production line at Craiova. The project was described as a major foreign investment in the country and became one of Romania’s most significant industrial partnerships with an overseas company. Through the joint venture, the Craiova facility assembled and produced a range of compact cars, family cars, hatchbacks, sedans, and multipurpose vehicles associated with Daewoo’s international model portfolio. The earliest vehicles sold under the Rodae name included the Club and Club 12 CS, produced during the mid-1990s. The operation subsequently concentrated on Daewoo-branded vehicles, including the Cielo, Espero, Tico, Leganza, Nubira, Matiz, and Tacuma. Model production periods varied, with some vehicles continuing at Craiova after Daewoo’s broader international financial difficulties. The plant therefore became closely identified with Daewoo vehicle production in Romania even as the corporate identity evolved. In 2006, Daewoo Automobile Craiova S.A. bought back the 51 percent stake held by the Korean company. The transaction left the Romanian state with full ownership of the enterprise. This change reflected the collapse and restructuring of Daewoo’s international automotive operations and transferred control of the Craiova facility back to the Romanian side. In 2008, the Romanian operation was sold to Ford of Europe, a division of Ford Motor Company. The acquisition ended Rodae’s existence as an independent Daewoo-related automotive venture and placed the Craiova manufacturing site within Ford’s European industrial network. Rodae is therefore best understood as a historical Romanian automotive company and production brand rather than a continuing consumer marque. Its principal legacy is the role it played in bringing Daewoo manufacturing to Romania and in preserving Craiova as an important automotive production center.

Rodae emerged from the post-communist restructuring of Romania’s automotive sector. In 1994, S.C. Automobile Craiova S.A. entered into a joint venture with South Korea’s Daewoo Heavy Industries. The resulting company was officially designated RODAE Automobile Craiova S.A.; it was later known as Daewoo Automobile Romania S.A. The venture gave Daewoo a manufacturing presence in Romania and connected the Craiova facility to the company’s international passenger-car activities. Daewoo opened a production line at Craiova in November 1994. The project was regarded as a landmark foreign investment for Romania and became one of the country’s most prominent industrial partnerships with a foreign corporation. It also helped maintain and develop automotive manufacturing capacity at Craiova during a period when Romanian industry was being reorganized and opened to international capital. The first vehicles associated with the operation were the Rodae Club and Club 12 CS, produced between 1994 and 1996 and 1994 and 1995 respectively. The factory then produced a succession of Daewoo-branded models. These included the Cielo and Espero from 1996, the Tico from 1998, the Leganza and Nubira from 1998, the Matiz from 1999, and the Tacuma from 2002. The model range covered small city cars, compact and family vehicles, sedans, hatchbacks, and a multi-purpose vehicle. Several models remained in production for years after their initial launches, with the Nubira and Matiz listed as continuing at Craiova until 2008. Daewoo’s international automotive business later encountered severe financial and corporate difficulties. Against that background, the ownership structure of the Romanian venture changed in 2006. Daewoo Automobile Craiova S.A. acquired the 51 percent stake previously held by the Korean company. As a result, the Romanian state became the sole owner of the operation. The state subsequently sold the company and facility to Ford of Europe in 2008. Ford’s acquisition transferred the Craiova plant into Ford’s European manufacturing system and brought the Rodae and Daewoo Romania period to an end. Rodae is consequently a historical company and brand associated with the establishment of Daewoo vehicle production in Romania, rather than an active independent automobile marque. Its significance lies in its contribution to Romania’s automotive industrial base, its broad production of Daewoo models, and the eventual transition of the Craiova facility to Ford ownership.

• 2008

  Craiova operation is sold to Ford

  [1]Rodaeen.wikipedia.org

  Ford of Europe acquired the operation, ending the Rodae and Daewoo Automobile Romania ownership period.

• 2006

  Romanian state becomes sole owner

  [1]Rodaeen.wikipedia.org

  The Romanian company bought back Daewoo’s 51 percent stake, leaving the enterprise wholly owned by the Romanian state.

• 1994

  Rodae joint venture is established

  [1]Rodaeen.wikipedia.org

  Automobile Craiova and Daewoo Heavy Industries created the Rodae automotive venture in Romania.

• 1994

  Craiova production begins

  [1]Rodaeen.wikipedia.org

  Daewoo opened a production line at Craiova in November, beginning the venture’s vehicle manufacturing operations.

A Romanian automotive manufacturing venture focused on producing accessible Daewoo passenger vehicles for the Romanian market and related export markets.

• Passenger car · 1994

  Rodae Club

  The Club was one of the earliest vehicles produced under the Rodae name at Craiova. Its listed production period ran from 1994 to 1996, covering the initial phase of the joint venture before the operation became more closely associated with Daewoo-branded models.

• Passenger car · 1994

  Rodae Club 12 CS

  The Club 12 CS was an early Rodae vehicle produced during the venture’s opening years. It was listed as being manufactured from 1994 to 1995 and represents the short initial period in which the Rodae brand appeared directly on the company’s products.

• Passenger car · 1996

  Daewoo Cielo

  The Cielo was among the principal Daewoo models produced at the Craiova facility. Its listed production period in Romania ran from 1996 to 2007, making it one of the longer-running vehicles associated with the Daewoo Romanian operation.

• Passenger car · 1996

  Daewoo Espero

  The Espero was part of the Romanian plant’s expanded Daewoo model range during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was listed as being produced at the operation from 1996 to 2002.

• City car · 1998

  Daewoo Tico

  The Tico was a small Daewoo vehicle produced by the Romanian operation from 1998 to 2002. It broadened the plant’s range toward compact urban transportation and formed part of the company’s late-1990s production portfolio.

• Passenger car · 1998

  Daewoo Leganza

  The Leganza was one of the larger passenger-car models associated with the Craiova operation. Its listed Romanian production period extended from 1998 to 2002.

• Compact passenger car · 1998

  Daewoo Nubira

  The Nubira was a major compact model in the Romanian Daewoo range. It was listed as being produced from 1998 to 2008, spanning the transition from Daewoo-related ownership to Ford’s acquisition of the Craiova operation.

• City car · 1999

  Daewoo Matiz

  The Matiz was a small city car produced at Craiova from 1999 to 2008. It was one of the best-known models in the facility’s later Daewoo production portfolio and remained listed through the year of Ford of Europe’s acquisition.

• Multi-purpose vehicle · 2002

  Daewoo Tacuma

  The Tacuma was the operation’s multi-purpose vehicle offering. It entered the listed Craiova range in 2002 and remained in production there until 2007.

• 2008

  Sale to Ford of EuropeM&A

  Background

  Following the Romanian state’s ownership of the operation, the Craiova automotive business became available for transfer to a major international vehicle manufacturer.

  Action taken

  The operation was sold to Ford of Europe, a division of Ford Motor Company.

  Aftermath

  Rodae ceased to operate as an independent Daewoo-related automotive company, while the Craiova facility entered Ford’s European manufacturing network.

  Source

• 2006

  Daewoo stake repurchaseM&A

  Background

  The Romanian automotive operation changed ownership after Daewoo Automobile Craiova S.A. acquired the Korean company’s 51 percent interest.

  Action taken

  The 51 percent stake was bought back, making the Romanian state the sole owner of the company.

  Aftermath

  The state retained ownership until selling the Craiova operation to Ford of Europe in 2008.

  Source

1. 1Rodaeen.wikipedia.org