Peter Grabuschnig, member of Hirsch Servo AG managing board, says the Austrian group's development strategy includes building a new production facility in the southern area of the country, after it opened a factory in Cluj county.
The introduction of building energy performance certificate in Romania and the development of real estate construction market caused polystyrene production on the domestic market to grow to 18,000 tonnes in 2005, with over 30,000 tonnes being projected for this year.
As a result of these changes, the multinationals decided to invest in production facilities.
"We have not chosen a specific location so far, but we eyed the southern region of the country, so as to have an easier access to the market of Bulgaria. The final decision will be made next year and is mainly up to the development of the domestic insulation and packaging segments," Peter Grabuschnig told ZF Transilvania. According to him, the new factory will produce expanded polystyrene used for thermal insulation, as well as polystyrene for packaging, a branch that is not currently operational in Romania.
The Austrian group Hirsch Servo AG started in mid August producing expanded polystyrene at Hirsch Porozell factory, in Rascruci village, Cluj county. The production facility has an annual capacity of 360,000 cubic metres, and the total investment amounted to some 4 million euros.
"This investment is part of our strategy of expansion in Central and Eastern Europe. The high energy prices pushed up demand for polystyrene insulations, and generated rising interest in Western standards related to external insulation for buildings. This is the reason why we chose to invest in Romania," added Peter Grabuschnig.
He also said he chose Cluj county as the location of the first factory in Romania, at the suggestion of his uncle, Gunther Krametter, who, a few years ago, as general manager at Rondo AG, had built a corrugated cardboard factory in the area.
The entire production made in Romania will go to the domestic market. The company already has its own network of sales agents. Hirsch - Servo Romania forecasts sales will amount to approximately 500,000 euros by the end of the year. "We estimate that after we reach the maximum capacity, our annual sales will amount to 9 million euros," says Grabuschnig, also general manager of the EPS processing department, within Hirsch Servo AG.
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