Piteşti is one of the most
industrialized cities in Romania. It is the center of the automotive industry
in the country: the Automobile Dacia automaker is situated in the nearby town
of Mioveni, and several other automobile parts manufacturers are located within
its urban area (Dräxlmaier Group, Lear Corporation and Valeo). The city also
houses the Arpechim oil refinery, part of the Petrom group. The plant,
established as a state-owned company during the communist regime, has
traditionally been the center of controversy over its air pollution records. In
2007, the