Austrian shoe manufacturer Paul Green from Salzburg has chosen Croatia's north for a new factory location that will open in 2013 in Prelog business zone (Medjimurje County).

The Austrian investors – who will put five million Euros into the venture – plan to hire at least 200 people. They chose Croatia’s north specifically for its shoemaking tradition.

Manager Bojan Rezonja said: "The shoe industry was developed here. In Austria, we do not have enough professional cadre and young people are not interested in learning the trade. Our company has been thinking about a strategic position in Europe for some time now because we have never improvised and manufactured shoes in China or the Middle East. We decided on Croatia."

Technical director Gido Strebel says that the deciding factors for the company were an excellent geographical position, a well-equipped business zone in Prelog and an accommodating mayor in the form of Dragutin Glavina.

"We want to recruit new, young people and assist them in their schooling. This is our guarantee for the future," said Strebel.

Paul Green manufactures two million pairs of women’s shoes annually, daily Jutarnji List writes.