Romstal group, controlled by businessman Enrico Perini, has budgeted 4% turnover growth for this year, to approximately 570 million euros, as it expands the number of franchised stores by 19%.
"At the end of 2009, Romstal group expects turnover of at least 570m euros and we also want to expand the Romstal franchise network by 19%, from 105 franchises at present to 125. We hope to reach this objective by giving up the tax for joining the system in 2009," stated Enrico Perini, chairman and majority shareholder of Romstal group. Until this year, the franchise was granted for a 10,000-euro tax.
Cities the company targets in terms of granting franchises are those with over 20,000 inhabitants, with the new locations having access to over 20,000 specialised products.
The group in 2008 generated turnover worth 550m euros, up 8% from 2007 sales, which revolved around 500 million euros, below initial estimates that entailed a 30% sales increase.
"In the first half of last year, Romstal company posted a 30% increase from the same period of 2007. However, the way the market developed in the second half of the year brought about a 30% drop in December 2008 from December 2007. All in all, though, in 2008 turnover generated by Romstal group rose by approximately 8% from the previous year, getting to a level of 550 million euros," Perini stated.
Romstal group, set up in 1994, is also present in Italy, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Moldova and Russia, with foreign sales revolving around 328 million euros in the total, namely more than half of turnover.
"The company's European turnover reached 328 million euros, while sales in Romania hit 223m euros," Perini said.
Amid the correction of the constructions market in 2008, Romstal laid off 150 employees, with the group's headcount now standing at 1,150 employees. No further redundancies have been announced for this year, but a decision on closing unprofitable stores has not been made yet.
As a strategy for 2009, the group announced it would focus more on sustaining and developing heating installations using renewable energy, irrespective of whether the government launches the "Green House" governmental programme.
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
