At the end of his over six-year term at the helm of AutomobileDacia, Francois Fourmont sums up his accomplishments: he broughtRenault group's Romanian business to 3 billion euros a year andimplemented over 1.5 billion euros in investments.
Fourmont says, however, that in order to have a strong localindustry one needs more than Dacia's and Ford's investments, namelycooperation from the authorities, who need to outline a functionaltransport infrastructure and reform the education system so that itcan supply workforce suitable to the requirements of the labourmarket.
"In order to have a strong auto industry, I think another twoimportant elements are needed: work on the transportationinfrastructure and the education system," said Fourmont.
He explained that in addition to the need for motorways, theauthorities need to also work on the commercial attractiveness ofthe port of Constanta, which is not a major reference point forcontainer carriers. That is why deliveries of components to theplant that assembles the Dacia model in Brazil are done through thePort of Hamburg and not through Constanta. "Secondly, operators inConstanta harbour don't charge competitive fees, and this is aproblem."
Automobile Dacia uses transportation services of the sea port inorder to deliver around 5,000 cars to Italy, France and Algeria permonth, with the cars being transported by rail to Constanta byGefco.
For Dacia, 2009 started with a time when the plant's operation wasuncertain and the jobs of almost 4,000 employees were not secure,with the company management suspending production on severaloccasions, in order to adjust to market demand and reducestocks.
In March, however, orders escalated from western European countrieswhere car scrappage schemes were implemented, and 2009 became ayear with record-high production, put at 300,000 cars by thegeneral manager.
Is 2009 the best year as far as financial results are concerned,though?
"I think the best year was 2007. In 2009 we will produce more, butwith greater efforts. If we calculate in terms of percentagepoints, and not in absolute terms, 2009 is probably the best yearas far as profit is concerned," Fourmont said.
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