Message of a 76bn-dollar executive: We would still choose Romania now to build the P&G plant

The opening of the plant of P&G giant in Urlati brought to Romania the most powerful executive that ever visited the Romanian market, Bob McDonald, CEO of P&G, the executive who runs a 76 billion-dollar business with 135,000 employees worldwide, has sent a message of trust in the Romanian economy, saying yesterday in Urlati, a town with 12,000 inhabitants, that the American producer would choose Romania even today for a greenfield investment in a regional plant.

"For us the strong suits of the Romanian market have remained as important as before: its large number of consumers and its growth potential. We want to reach 5 billion consumers by 2015, from 4.2 billion people at present, and the Balkan region will play an important part in the company's development, with opportunities coming from the rural sector, as well," he said.

Romania is the biggest sales and production market for the P&G subsidiary in the Balkan region, which covers 8 countries, contributing an estimated over 50% to its business.

The new shampoo factory in Urlati, in which P&G invested 100 million dollars exports 90% of its production.

The US giant could also develop the second phase of the shampoo factory in Urlati by resorting to state aid, after a failed attempt in 2008. Part of the future investments of the company in this location could be made with European funds for environment protection projects.