Albin Budinsky, Schenker Romtrans CEO: Layoffs were a reaction to the crisis

Schenker, the transport and logistics unit of Deutsche Bahn, which last year took over Romtrans shipping company for around 90m euros, has finalised the first stage of the merger through absorption of the Romanian company and set up Schenker Romtrans firm, due to manage a business of above 100m euros in Romania.
"I can effectively say we've merged. The people of the two companies are now working together, and departments have been unified. This integration needs now to also be concluded from a legal point of view. We must follow some bureaucratic steps and by January 2010 the merger will be legally finalised," stated Albin Budinsky, who is going to take over the position of CEO at the time integration operations are concluded.
In the following period, Romtrans will be absorbed by Schenker Romtrans and will legally disappear, according to him.
Thus, Albin Budinsky, 44, who arrived in Romania in 1997 and has been general manager of Schenker's domestic unit starting 2001, will run a business worth above 100m euros.
Schenker Romania last year generated turnover worth almost 35m euros, while Romtrans registered 76.2m euros, according to the company's representatives. More than 99% in Romtrans, previously in the hands of the management and employees, more than 1,000 shareholders in all, were bought by Schenker last year. "This year is more difficult for freight transportation and I expect turnover to drop by 31-32% for both companies by yearend," Budinsky said.
One of the steps he has taken this year was to restructure personnel. In the first quarter, Romtrans had 1,197 employees, compared with 1,372 in the same period of last year, according to company data.
"The crisis has forced us, like any other company, to also look at personnel. We started a restructuring process that will probably continue next year. I cannot say how many employees were made redundant. We're trying to fight the crisis and layoffs were a reaction to it," Budinsky specified.