To reach the turnover target of 100 million euros in 2005, the Austrian Holzindustrie Schweighofer is banking on the Romanian construction materials market, as well as on demand for wooden houses.
Still unknown in Romania, the wooden houses business is one with a solid outlook, according to representatives of the Austrian firm.
"The concept of a wooden house is very popular in the United States and Japan, but is less common on the Romanian market, where traditional houses are preferred. Our intention is however to draw up a larger market study so as to see what strategies we should adopt. We then want to enter partnerships with construction firms and promote this idea in Romania as well," said Cosmin Capra, the plant's executive manager.
Holzindustrie Schweighofer, the third biggest European company within the primary processing of wood industry, ended last year having made a greenfield investment worth 70 million euros in a timber plant in Sebes, Alba county.
The plant started production last September, with the main destination of timber so far having been the Japanese construction industry (90%). The rest is sold to furniture producers in Romania.
Over the last several years, the Romanian construction industry has been among the most dynamic sectors, but so far wooden houses have not entered developers' plans.
"Advantages of wooden houses include the shorter time-span needed for their construction, standing at about three weeks. Furthermore, in the case of wooden houses only half the foundation needs to be built. There are plastered wooden houses, which look like traditional houses, and non-plastered houses. A wooden house is generally 20% cheaper than a traditional one," said Szilagy Imre, a manager with the Harghita-based Apicom company, which builds wooden houses for the export.
Holzindustrie management plans to reach turnover worth 100 million euros by the year 2005.
"During its three months of activity last year, the company derived turnover standing at 3 million euros. The plant's target for year 2005 is of 100 million euros," said Capra, without specifying sales for the current year or launching projections for year 2004.
This year, the company will realise new investments worth eight million euros, aimed at a superior wood processing line.
Holzindustrie has 320 employees in its Sebes-based plant and the new investment will bring in 150 new jobs.
georgiana.stavarache@zf.ro
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