Ipec aims for 6.8m-euro sales to Ikea

Alba-Iulia-based Ipec, which specialises in china dishes, set out to have its sales to Swedish Ikea Group go up to 6.8 million euros this year. The company last year delivered 5.5 million euros (52 million Swedish crowns) in such products to Ikea, with 95% of its output being exported to companies of this group in Europe, Asia and North America. "The contracts with the Swedish group are negotiated in Swedish crowns and this is an advantage considering the euro has decreased a great deal lately," stated Elena Covaciu, Ipec''s administrator. The company also has customers in Germany, Greece, France, Sweden and the UK. "The market in Romania is constantly declining. Under the circumstances, we are only concerned with exports," Covaciu said. The collaboration with the Swedish group is much more complex, as Ikea funded the building of one of the two production facilities of the company in Alba-Iulia through a loan. Ipe c posted 3.8 million euro turnover in the first six months of the year, 20% higher than in the same time of 2004. Its product portfolio includes plates, bowls and platters. ZF