The Romanian unit of Italy's agricultural machinery producer Maschio-Gaspardo in the first half of this year reached turnover worth more than 4m euros, more than 50% higher than in the same period of last year.
"In terms of orders, their level went 35% up in the first half of this year compared with the same period of last year. The trend was possible in the wake of the development of our portfolio of domestic customers, now including 150 companies, and of the increase in orders on foreign markets, with considerable volumes having already been delivered to Italy, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, Germany and France," Mirco Maschio, manager of Maschio Gaspardo Romania, told ZF Transilvania.
The company's management forecasts turnover worth 9.1 million euros for this year, up 30% against 2005, when the indicator stood at 7 million euros.
"Growth witnessed in the first half will not maintain during the rest of the year because agricultural companies acquire their equipment during the first half.
"At the same time, the SAPARD programme, which has brought us significant sales, ended in September," specified Mirco Maschio.
Maschio Gaspardo will make investments worth 2 million euros this year to expand its production capacities by another 1,800 square metres, for the plant of Chisineu-Cris, Arad county.
According to the company's management, the investments will push up the plant's production volumes by approximately 20-25% and at this moment works are 50% finalised.
The new production facility is due to start operating at the end of this year.
"The decision to boost production capacities by expanding the existing production shed was prompted by the rising demand domestically and abroad. We could no longer meet demand with our current production in Romania," the manager of Maschio Gaspardo Romania also said.
The products manufactured in Romania are sold in Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Italy, France, Poland and Slovakia, but 70% of sales are operated on the domestic market. Domestically, 40% of the company's sales go to major agricultural companies, 30% go to medium-sized firms and 30% are aimed at small companies.
In Romania, Maschio Gaspardo owns production capacities of around 60,000 square metres and has more than 100 employees.
So far, investments aimed at the plant of Arad county have topped 5 million euros and targeted the expansion of production capacity.
The Italian group entered the Romanian market in 2002, but production was launched in 2003 in the wake of investments worth above 2 million euros in the plant of Chisineu-Cris.
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