QAB turnover up 48% to $160m

Quadrant Amroq Beverages (QAB), the bottler of Pepsi beverages for the Romanian market, achieved a 48% growth in its turnover to 159 million dollars (128 million euros). The fastest growth rate was registered in the third quarter of last year, standing at 64%. "The factors that contributed to this development are the 14.5 million-dollar investments on the soft drinks market in Romania in 2005, the launch of new carbonated and non-carbonated products, and the introduction of a packaging system that ensures product integrity," Eusediu Margasoiu, QAB''s marketing manager said. He added that the number of employees at the company went up by 11% last year, from 2004. The company is currently employing more than 1,000 people. QAB posted some 108 million dollars (85 million euros) in turnover, an increase of nearly 50% from the previous year. The bottler was among the fastest growing companies in its sector last year. It has two production facilities in Bucharest and completed a 7 million-dollar (6 million euros) investment in a new facility in Covasna for the production of mineral water in 2004. ZF